Rapeseed Protein Produced at Competitive Price Point to Soy in Industrial Scale Trial
Soy protein concentrate has traditionally been the main protein ingredient in aquaculture feed rations. Usually produced and shipped into Europe, vegetable meal accounted for half of the ingredients in salmon feed in Norway in 2017, compared to a content of zero in 1990.
For years, companies and researchers have attempted to produce a rapeseed protein concentrate that is cost-competitive to that of soy, but issues with protein extraction and “antinutritional factors” have always proven to be too challenging. This possibility has always been especially intriguing in Europe, which produces 20 million tons of rapeseed per year.
Recently, however, German company EuroProtein developed bolt-on proprietary technology that has enabled rapeseed protein concentrate to be produced at an industrial scale at a price-point and protein content similar to soy. The company’s first plant is expected to crush 110,000 tons of rapeseed yielding 30,000 tons of protein concentrate as well as 45,000 tons of cold-pressed virgil kernel oil which will also be sold as a feed ingredient and for human consumption.
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