Sustainable protein from grass is ready for production

For many years a cheap and sustainable source of protein has been researched in. Now the first company in Denmark puts plant protein from grass into production and predicts it could be the key to feeding the whole world.

Many years of research have finally made its breakthrough: Sustainable protein from grass can now be produced on a large scale. When clover grass is pressed, it gives a juice that the Danish company BiomassProtein sees as pure gold. The juice can be made into sustainable grass protein with the texture of a paste. It can be used in both animal feed and in the future for human consumption. With that in mind, BiomassProtein is now building a factory that can produce the juice for commercial use.

Many years of research

Aarhus University has been researching in grass protein for many years because it is a sustainable way to get protein. Danish farmers import large amounts of protein-rich feed made from soy from South America, and this import can be reduced if the production of feed with grass protein is possible in Denmark. For the new grass protein to compete with soy, it is important that it is economically viable.

The protein content of the paste is high enough to support commercial production and the residual product can be utilized once the paste has been removed. The residual product is fibers and a liquid that can be made into biogas.

Production that can provide jobs

If farmers want to help convert their fields to grasslands, it has great prospects according to the Agricultural Knowledge Organisation, SEGES, that sees the new groundbreaking research as an opportunity to export know-how to other countries. BiomassProtein hopes to start production by May next year.

Source: DR (In Danish)