Descripción del proyecto
De desechos de pescado a proteína en polvo para el consumo humano
La pesca y el procesamiento posterior del pescado generan una enorme cantidad de desechos. Cada vez hay una mayor demanda de fuentes de proteína (por el crecimiento de la población), así que la búsqueda de alternativas sigue aumentando. El proyecto EcoD, financiado con fondos europeos, ha encontrado una. Los investigadores están desarrollando el primer producto en polvo rico en proteínas para el consumo humano a partir de huevas de bacalao, un material de desecho (2 % del volumen del bacalao) rico en aminoácidos esenciales y no esenciales que suele considerarse un desecho alimentario (solo se emplea un 8 %, para producir productos de poco valor que no son para el consumo humano). Los investigadores convertirán estos residuos en un producto de calidad para el consumo humano. EcoD será ideal para individuos activos y personas mayores, debido a su ato nivel de glicina y arginina, aminoácidos que favorecen el fortalecimiento muscular.
Objetivo
With a global population growth from 7.3 billion to 9.7 billion by 2050, the protein demand is expected to double from the current 202 million tons/year. Protein sources are either animal- or plant-based and their production is depleting the environmental given their high water and land utilization as well as the large Green House Gas Emissions during production. Therefore, there is an urgent need for shifting the production of protein onto a more sustainable path. Iceland Protein (IS) is facing this challenge by developing EcoD, the first rich-protein powder for human consumption sourced from soft cod roes, a rest raw material (2% of cod volume) highly rich in essential and non-essential amino acids mainly discarded as food waste with only 8% utilized to produce low-value products not for human consumption.
With EcoD we exploit fish waste, making it profitable and with a lesser impact on the environment adding value and turning it into a high-quality product for human consumption. Currently, most protein powders are sourced from cow’s milk protein such as whey and casein, eggs, or soy and peas. These products are banned for people with dietary restrictions (allergy and intolerance to dairy products, allergy to eggs or soy). EcoD is eligible this segment of people while providing the FAO/WHO recommended daily intake of essential amino acids and, in most cases, higher amino acid content than commercial alternatives. Furthermore, EcoD is especially beneficial for physically active individuals and elders thanks to its high glycine and arginine favoring muscle strengthening.
Our product will be marketed via our well-established distributors and wholesalers (B2B) to bring EcoD until our targeted end-users. With this project (€1.5M additional investment) we seek to finalize the development of the EcoD and launch it across Europe by 2022 onwards, and later entering the US and Chinese markets. Doing it we will create 5 jobs and €7.5 M in revenues by 2026 (ROI 5. 5).
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Convocatoria de propuestas
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoriaConvocatoria de subcontratación
H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1
Régimen de financiación
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinador
300 AKRANES
Islandia
Organización definida por ella misma como pequeña y mediana empresa (pyme) en el momento de la firma del acuerdo de subvención.