Food Waste Valorisation

Coffee cherry is the fruit that encompasses the coffee beans. It is usually discarded after the extraction of coffee beans. The team has deployed advanced scientific methods to develop a nutraceutical product derived from coffee cherry. The technology is a sustainable process where minimal byproduct is produced and greenhouse being gas emitted. Clinically tested to be food safe and with high bio-efficacy, the nutraceutical being rich in antioxidants, promotes healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, supports cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and metabolic disorders. Additionally, it improves blood circulation, reduces oxidative stress, and enhances overall metabolic function. This innovation not only promotes human health but also contributes to environmental sustainability, making it a powerful solution for health conscious consumers coupled with ecofriendly production. The technology provider would like to license the technology to collaborate with food and beverage manufacturers and to work with institute of higher learning to research on other bioactive compounds found in coffee cherries.

Side stream valorisation in sectors such as food and beverage manufacturing has gained substantial interest over the years. The waste streams, in particularly the liquid has high amount of nutrients and organics, in which suitable bioprocesses can be deployed to convert them into value-added products. One product of interest is the purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB), a metabolically diverse group of proteobacteria that contains pigments bacteriochlorophyll a and b. Attributed to its unique versatile metabolic pathways, PPB can be used as powerful pollutant removal in different types of wastewater treatments, under stressful conditions. Its light utilization process and hormone secreting properties also made PPB a good bio-fertilizer and bio-stimulant for plant growth.  This proposed PPB cultivation technology in photobioreactor (PBR) system has greater treatment efficiency and higher biomass conversion rate than conventional open pond systems. Biomass generated from this cultivation technology demonstrated its ability to enhance essential nutrients in soil and supply key plant hormones that aid in plant growth. This novel application of PPB can be adopted in the agriculture industry, in the effort to develop more eco-friendly agricultural inputs.  The technology provider is seeking for collaborators to test bed the technology to license the technology.

The plant-based abalone is designed and prepared with mung beans, which are rich in protein, but the mung bean protein is often treated as a side stream in the industry. The plant-based abalone contains protein content comparable to that of real abalone. It also contains enhanced nutrients such as essential fatty acids which can potentially play a key role in heart health, cancer prevention, cognitive function, skin health, and obesity prevention. In addition, when cooked, this plant-based abalone presents physical properties like the real abalone, at a fraction of the cost. The technology provider is working on larger scale trials to develop optimal methods for central kitchen operations and looking to collaborate with the food industry on R&D and also to license the technology.

Only 20% of actual coffee is extracted from beans to produce coffee in its beverage form, leaving the remaining 80% (six million tons annually) deemed as spent coffee grounds (SCG) to be disposed or used in landfills or as non-food product components to make fertilisers, furniture, deodorisers or skin care products. A technology was created to counteract SCG wastage and valorise it for human consumption. This particular invention comprises of methodologies to create two types of ingredients using leftover SCG - oil-grind and water-grind processed SCG. A simple, reproducible method of conching is employed to convert leftover SCG into smooth pastes, where specific conching parameters help refine the SCG to an acceptable particle size, eliminating grittiness in numerous valorised products similar to SCG. The product utilises common ingredients like oil and water to conche SCG with improved taste and textural properties. The shelf stability and nutritional composition (including caffeine) of the ingredients were also validated to ensure the food possessed good sensorial properties and are scale up ready. This technology increases SCG’s potential use as a versatile ingredient in different food applications. The technology provider is seeking off-takers from food manufacturers, food services industry, companies interested to valorise side streams to turn SCG into edible compounds.

Collagen is a structural protein prevalent in the connective tissues of all organisms, and is the building block of biomaterial that is essential in wound healing and tissue regeneration. Through a patented extraction method, a novel Type I Amphibian collagen has been valorised from discarded skins, an agrifood waste stream and processed into a medical grade collagen biomaterial. The extracted pristine native amphibian collagen possesses unique properties, combining attributes associated with aquatic and land-based collagen sources, giving the extracted collagen more versatility than conventional sources of collagen. The Type I Amphibian collagen possesses a higher biocompatibility and water solubility as compared to mammalian sources of collagen, with a better thermostability profile, than marine sources of collagen. The technology provider has demonstrated the medical application of this extracted collagen by developing a range of specialised wound dressings, specifically designed for the management of chronic wounds. These dressing will significantly improve clinical outcomes and increase the rate of chronic wound closure.  The technology provider is looking for partnerships or collaborations to transform this pristine collagen into medical products. Additionally, with a pristine collagen extract, hydrolysing them into smaller fragments (collagen peptides) that can be customised to the needs of the partnership or collaboration, for the medical/cosmeceutical/nutraceutical industry. 

This biotechnology pertains to a modular cloud-based bioprocessing system designed to streamline and enhance the cultivation and analysis of biological cultures. Addressing the complexities and constraints of traditional bioprocessing, this technology simplifies operations, making advanced bioprocessing tools accessible to a broader range of users. It has shown its versatility across various segments including educational institutions, research labs, biotech and bio-manufacturing companies and even within the food service industry, providing an efficient, flexible, affordable and scalable solution for growing biological cultures.

This technology aims to tackle the food waste problem in the Thai agricultural sector. Shrimp shell was selected since it constituted a large portion of all crustacean shell waste. Many tons of shrimp shells are discarded daily. However, they contain high amounts of protein, calcium, and umami compounds. Thus, they can be used to fortify food products.  Currently, the instant noodle market still has a limited number of healthy options. Therefore, there is a significant market opportunity to develop a low sodium and high protein instant noodle product.

Eggs are a widely popular protein source, however, egg production requires a significant amount of natural resources. Hence, this technology aims to substitute chicken eggs with plant-based alternatives, which would lead to a reduced environmental impact. Rice bran is the hard outer layer of rice, a byproduct of the rice milling process which is pressed for oil and then discarded. Using rice bran as a source of protein reduces waste and increases resource efficiency, making it a strong potential candidate as an alternative protein source to be produced in Thailand, which is the 6th largest rice producer according to the FAO. This product is high in protein (comparable to chicken eggs), which is hydrolyzed to increase bioavailability, and does not contain cholesterol and saturated fat. It is fit for health and fitness enthusiasts, vegetarians, flexitarians and people with an egg allergy.

Egg white is a well-known super-food as an absolute protein with a complete essential amino acid profile, easily digestible, and no cholesterol. While salted egg yolks are a common ingredient in many traditional Asian dishes, the egg white is discarded as it has limited applications due to its high salt content. This technology valorizes the salted egg white waste from the production of salted egg yolks into a tofu-like form that has many culinary applications. This is done using a patent-pending technique that is developed for desalination and reformation of egg white protein.