Agricultural and food production is a great source of byproducts that have value, but we are usually wasting these byproducts. New groundbreaking research from the University of Borås in Sweden could change that narrative. These byproducts can be made into safe and environmentally friendly ingredients for livestock feed! Milad Parchami, a researcher with a Ph.D. in Resource Recovery, has tested this pioneering approach with his doctoral thesis. This change is not only a more sustainable feed source, but it helps fight climate change.
Parchami’s research is particularly concerned with using byproducts like apple juice and potato starch residues. Often considered garbage, these materials take on new life through an elaborate process. A reasoning behind this is that a membrane bioreactor can transform them into valuable volatile fatty acids (VFA).
The Role of Membrane Bioreactors
The membrane bioreactor became an integral technology for the R&D project. The process decomposes ag waste into volatile fatty acids (VFA). These acids work as a natural energy booster for ruminants like cattle or sheep.
“We took the residues from apple juice production, the pulp left after making juice, and protein liquid from potatoes, a byproduct of potato starch production—materials that often just become waste—and fed them into a specially designed bioreactor with a membrane for filtration,” – Milad Parchami.
This specific bioreactor fine-tunes the conversion process. This in turn increases the overall efficiency of feed production. By utilizing materials that would otherwise contribute to waste, this method offers a dual benefit: reducing environmental impact while providing nutritional benefits for livestock.
Environmental Impact and Benefits
One of the greatest benefits of the VFA mixture created by this process is its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. VFA has been shown through lab results to decrease methane production, a powerful greenhouse gas recognized by the EPA to be contributing to global warming.
“Lab results showed that the VFA mixture can reduce methane production, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, improve feed digestibility, and increase total VFA concentrations in the simulated rumen environment,” – Milad Parchami.
Studies run in sheep show up to a 30% improvement with VFA-enhanced feed. The groundbreaking research showed significant increases in concentrations of VFA in the rumen, illustrating the nutritional advantages of this novel feed source.
A Win-Win Solution for Agriculture
The impacts of this research reach farther than protecting the health of livestock. Their innovative approach provides a key to more sustainable agriculture production methods. By turning agricultural and food byproducts into high-quality feed, this method simultaneously tackles several problems plaguing our food production system.
“The research project points to a win-win situation, where agricultural and food byproducts are upgraded to valuable substances by being converted into sustainable feed and thereby can contribute to a greener future for livestock farming,” – Milad Parchami.