SUSTAINABILITY
HOLLAND FOOD INNOVATIONS . MARCH 2015 . NO 1
Sustainable protein The challenge of diversification
The quest for sustainable protein is well underway. The search for solutions focuses on four distinct directions: new proteins from agricultural bulk products, more efficient utilization of existing protein sources, upcycling of animal-based waste streams, and exploiting new sources of protein.
Western consumers are gradually getting used to products like insect burgers, algae juice and seaweed cookies. Even supermarkets are starting to sell food products containing sustainable protein. The protein transition is clearly in full swing. These type of new products, however, do not represent the only source of sustainable protein.“In order to make real progress in sustainability, we need to cast the net wider than just new sources of protein,” says Charon Zondervan, managing director of the Protein Competence Center (PCC) in Wageningen. “We can make great strides using known proteins from agricultural bulk crops. And we can make much more efficient use of waste streams from agriculture, but also animal-based by-products such as blood, bones and fish waste and offal.”
Joint Effort The world needs new sources of protein. Consumption of meat, fish, dairy and eggs puts a major burden on the environment. Worldwide, meat consumption is growing as the number of people with disposable income increases. Even in China and India, consumers are eating more animal products. This makes it a priority to find sustainable protein that can supplement or substitute traditional sources. The Protein Competence Center (PCC) was 018
established in May 2014, combining knowThe protein revolution is clearly in full swing.
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ledge and research to accelerate the protein
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