Sustainable calcium food additives and dietary supplements of high pureness to boost the ocean clam fisheries

Descripción del proyecto

Una fuente de calcio sostenible para productos alimentarios

Los estrictos reglamentos medioambientales en el ámbito de la extracción de carbonato cálcico —una de las actividades extractivas con más repercusión— conducen a la investigación de fuentes alternativas de este mineral. El equipo fundador de ICECAL ha detectado que la concha de la almeja de Islandia, despreciada por las pesquerías y desechada como residuo, es de carbonato de calcio puro (99,9 %). La empresa creó una línea de producción con un sistema de control de calidad preciso para la extracción masiva del calcio de la almeja. El producto llegará al mercado en forma de polvo de carbonato cálcico para enriquecer con calcio los productos alimentarios. El equipo del proyecto BLUECAL, financiado con fondos europeos, se centrará en el mercado de alimentos saludables y de comida rápida, lo que permitirá reactivar la captura de este tipo de almeja en Islandia.

Objetivo

Calcium carbonate mines are one of the most impacting extraction activities, so stricter environmental regulations are pushing research for alternative sources of this mineral, of wide use in a variety of industries.

ICECAL founding team have been involved for over 15 years in the valorization of ocean resources. The shell of the Ocean Quahog Clam, which is neglected by fisheries and disposed as waste on land and sea, is almost pure (99.9%) calcium carbonate. We have built a processing line including an accurate quality control system for mass extraction of calcium from this clam to commercialize, calcium carbonate powder for calcium fortification of food products. The commercial name is BLUECAL. ICECAL production process consumes 95% less water and at least 30% less energy in form of electricity than extraction from mines.

We will target first the market of food products for convenience wellness, a €31 Billion business opportunity. BLUECAL incorporated to foods like bars, snacks can serve as ideal delivery systems for the bone-building nutrient, without any negative impact to the texture or taste. Consumers are opting for nutritive convenience foods and nutritionally fortified foods in place of traditional convenience and junk foods. The consumers of these products are willing to pay a price premium on the account of all-natural ingredients, making calcium fortification with BLUECAL a competitive advantage for our target customers.

BLUECAL will allow the reactivation in Iceland of the otherwise non-profitable ocean quahog fisheries, highly sustainable but which have ceased activity due to sharp reduction of clam market prices as seafood. The supply of the shell to ICECAL will provide 100% increase in harbor value, making these fisheries lucrative instead of zero profit industry.This model will be exported to other countries with Ocean Quahog fisheries and thus, with high potential for profiting from this otherwise undervalued resource.

Ámbito científico

Programa(s)

Tema(s)

EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020 - SME instrument

Convocatoria de propuestas

H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoria

Convocatoria de subcontratación

H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1

Régimen de financiación

SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

Coordinador

ICECAL EHF

Aportación neta de la UEn

€ 50 000,00

Dirección

TVERHOLT 1
270 MOSFELLSBAER
Islandia

Pyme

Sí

Región

Ísland Ísland Höfuðborgarsvæði

Tipo de actividad

Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)

Enlaces

Contactar con la organización

Participación en los programas de I+D de la UE

Red de colaboración de HORIZON

Coste total

€ 71 429,00