Elemental said its technology would also enable the meat processing powerhouse to reduce supply-chain-related greenhouse gas emissions.
The innovative tech snaps up bones and trimmings direct from meat processing lines, which would otherwise be transported to renderers. A low-temperature enzyme extraction process is used to produce fresh, high-quality stock extracts, including proteins and fats. The approach delivers fully traceable, sustainable, authentic food ingredients which can be used in a variety of products including biscuits, cakes, ready meals, gravies and soups.
Additional edible fats are collected at this stage for food or sustainable energy generation and biofuel production.
Other animal by-product waste
Other animal by-product waste in the form of lairage, gut content, bones and other inedible material are transferred to the second part of Elemental's process and subjected to a mixture of crushing, high heat and chemical processing.
Compositional analytics is used to quantify this material, which is turned into a nutrient-rich, efficient fertiliser called Thallo, which is bagged on site, collected by fertiliser partners and delivered to farmers to grow crops or cattle feed. The entire process is designed to stop waste going to landfill.
“We’re constantly looking for ways to increase the efficiency and sustainability of our operations," said Niall Browne, chief executive officer of Dawn Meats & Dunbia. "Elemental’s innovative new technology will assist us in the capture of valuable food grade ingredients. The resulting yield improvement is the meat equivalent of 30-40 kg per carcase, adding value across the supply chain. The installation of this new technology is also expected to deliver 20 per cent of our annual Scope 1 reduction target, helping us to achieve an ambitious 58% overall reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.”
Meat industry innovation
Dean Hislop, chief executive of Elemental, said: “This deal marks a significant moment for Elemental, kickstarting the roll out of our technology. We have ambitious plans for sustained growth and helping to drive innovation in the meat industry. This agreement represents a major step forward in delivering on those plans.
“Dawn Meats & Dunbia are one of the leading global players in our industry and it’s no surprise to see them taking this lead in terms of making their processes more efficient and more environmentally sustainable. This agreement enables Dawn Meats & Dunbia to create new products and unlock new revenue streams while also reducing its carbon footprint and improving carcase utilisation.”
Dawn Meats & its Dunbia subsidiary supply major retailers, manufacturers and foodservice operators across the globe, working in 50 countries and processing 300,000 tonnes of meat each year.
