400 Tons of Cabbage Waste Transformed into Food in New Swedish Pilot Project

Veröffentlichung honorarfrei bei Link zu: food-monitor.de

Schwedisches Pilotprojekt zur Verwertung von Kohlabfällen.

In Schweden wurde ein innovatives Pilotprojekt durchgeführt, bei dem 400 Tonnen Kohlabfälle in Lebensmittel umgewandelt wurden. Dieses Projekt zeigt einen vielversprechenden Ansatz zur Reduzierung von Lebensmittelabfällen und zur Steigerung der Ressourceneffizienz in der Lebensmittelindustrie.

Hauptaspekte des Projekts

  • Umfang: 400 Tonnen Kohlabfälle wurden verarbeitet
  • Ziel: Umwandlung von Abfällen in essbare Produkte
  • Innovation: Entwicklung neuer Verarbeitungsmethoden für Kohlabfälle

Mögliche Auswirkungen

  • Reduzierung der Lebensmittelverschwendung in der Landwirtschaft
  • Schaffung neuer Wertschöpfungsketten für bisher ungenutzte Ressourcen
  • Potenzielle wirtschaftliche Vorteile für Landwirte und die Lebensmittelindustrie

Bedeutung für Nachhaltigkeit

Das Projekt steht im Einklang mit den Zielen für nachhaltige Entwicklung, insbesondere:

  • Verantwortungsvoller Konsum und Produktion
  • Reduzierung von Treibhausgasemissionen durch vermiedene Abfälle
  • Förderung von Innovationen in der Lebensmittelindustrie

Dieses Pilotprojekt könnte als Modell für ähnliche Initiativen in anderen Ländern dienen und einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Entwicklung nachhaltigerer Lebensmittelsysteme leisten.

 

Pressemeldung (greenfood.se)

Since 2023, Greenfood has collaborated with Tekinn to explore how fermentation can convert fibrous and woody vegetable parts into nutrient-rich raw materials.

Weißkohl, Weißkraut, Sauerkraut
Fotolia #118708174 © kab-vision – Lizenznehmer: food-monitor

The project has now received approval to continue investigating the technology’s potential with support from Sweden’s innovation agency Vinnova. This funding enables the transformation of 400 tons of cabbage waste into edible products, potentially reshaping the future of food systems and their waste flow.

In 2023, Greenfood partnered with the Swedish biotechnology firm Tekinn AB to launch an initial pilot project aimed at turning waste into edible food through a unique fermentation process. In addition to breaking down insoluble fibers in waste products and making them edible, fermentation enriches these materials with nutrients, flavor, texture, and shelf life. The continuation of this pilot project has now been granted funding from Vinnova.

The project has been assessed by Vinnova as having „high innovation potential and significant societal relevance.“ With its goal of converting food losses into nutritious food, the project is expected to enhance competitiveness within the food sector and increase the system’s resilience to future challenges such as climate change and uncertain global supply chains.

“We are very pleased to have received this external validation of the project’s and our innovation’s potential to drive positive change within the food system. It is particularly encouraging to see recognition of the long-term sustainability ­– both environmentally and economically – which is crucial for such transformations to become a reality,” says Fredrik Jonsson, founder and Business Development Manager at Tekinn AB, which is currently collaborating with several key players in the food system to manage and refine various types of fibrous waste flows and food losses.

If the pilot project proves successful, the new method may be applied to nearly 400 tons of cabbage waste from production at Salico, with the potential for further scaling. As one of Sweden’s largest players in the processing and distribution of fruits and vegetables, there is immense potential to transform Salico’s owner Greenfood’s waste streams into valuable raw materials, fundamentally changing the food system.

The collaboration with Tekinn is a result of Greenfood’s sustainability goals, where high internal demands continuously create new incentives to identify and develop innovative solutions. Innovation is crucial in the industry – according to a report from the Swedish Board of Agriculture, food losses for eight of the most common food items are estimated at 450,000 tons annually.

“This project not only represents a significant step forward towards our own ambitious sustainability goals by drastically reducing our waste, but it also holds the promise of enabling us to offer a groundbreaking, valuable product – both nationally and globally – that meets the demand for sustainable and nutritious food,” says Maria Mehlin, Sustainability Developer at Salico AB.

About Greenfood and Salico AB

Salico is one of Scandinavia’s largest suppliers of pre-cut salads, fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat meal solutions. Salico is part of Greenfood, one of the leading groups in the Nordics in healthy food, encompassing the entire food chain—from cultivation and processing to delivery and consumtion.

About Tekinn

Tekinn AB is a foodtech and biotechnology company based in Lund that, through unique fermentation technology, enables players in the food sector to convert their waste flows into valuable and unique ingredients, creating new business opportunities and contributing to more sustainable food production. Tekinn is a member of SmiLe Venture Hub, where foodtech and life science companies receive business support to develop and commercialize their products.

greenfood.se