ARTICLE 44 Alternative Proteins Magazine April 2024 Given the multiple phases involved in the food by-products life cycle, Feed & Additive magazine wanted to know about how an integrated strategy can support ingredient quality and stakeholders’ efforts to create a more circular approach to protein utilisation. Below are excerpts from a conversation with author Andrea Lopez, Global Product Manager at Selko. What opportunities and challenges do food producers face when it comes to managing high-moisture by-products like dairy whey, fruit and vegetable pulps, and brewery spent grains and yeast? High-moisture products are utilised every day in various production processes and in food and beverage businesses. A perpetual stream of high-moisture ingredients is available in by-products and can be put to good use in animal feed, as opposed to ending up in a landfill or as biogas. However, the high level of moisture in these by-products can make it quite difficult to preserve the nutritional value so that the feed maintains its shelf life and nutritional value. How can stakeholders across the food chain manage these challenges? It’s essential to create a wise logistics strategy. A plan needs to consider the best time to pick the by-products up, the best means to transport them to the trader company, feed premix facility, or farm, in the proper conditions. Preservation products applied to by-products at any stage of the process can help reduce microbial proliferation, inhibit the deterioration of by-products, and preserve nutritional quality. How is ingredient quality managed across the by-products journey? I’ll share an example from the Netherlands, where we pay close attention to the life cycle of by-products as they travel from the producer to the food traders to the feed mill or premix facility and eventually to the farm. As perishable ingredients age and conditions change, monitoring must be consistently carried out. By assessing ingredients at each point, we can determine the proper Revalet or Selko products to introduce the specific inclusion level. For example, we can see how much of the treatment product is needed to inactivate yeast development at a producer’s location. When ingredients arrive at the food-or, by-products traders or feed producers, it may be necessary to add other Selko solutions to maintain the nutritional value and decrease the microbial load. Additional treatment depends on whether ingredients were previously treated at the food producer’s facilities or if they come directly from food processing. More adjustments may be needed to deal with challenges at the farm, like biofilm levels in the pipes of liquid feeding systems. How does preserving by-products benefit participants across the distribution chain? Workers at trading companies, feed premix facilities, and on the farm are all very busy. While it’s An integrated strategy support to a more circular approach preserve nutritional integrity, and extend shelf life. Feed premixes are then carefully mixed with other feed ingredients, such as crushed grains, molasses, other by-products, and supplements, to achieve the desired nutrient composition and consistency. c. Including preservative products in animals’ feed premix and final feed helps to lower the pH levels in feed, creating an environment unfavourable for harmful microbial growth and reducing the risk of feed spoilage. Selko additives are designed to act as potent preservatives, extending the shelf life of feed formulations. Preserving food by-products for use in animal feed can reduce use of landfill. This practice can also open up new feed ingredient options for regions of the globe where traditional protein ingredients may be in short supply. As an overlooked “alternative protein,” properly treated food by-products can help optimise the allocation of resources used in food production and play a role in feeding the future.
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