Making a big difference with a small product. That is what the small Danish business, ENORM BioFactory (sister company to ENORM Aps), is aiming to achieve by introducing insects as a sustainable animal feed ingredient. In a world with a growing demand for alternative protein sources and a simultaneous rise in global CO2 emissions, the world’s need for sustainable solutions has never been greater.

Denmark imports roughly 1 million tons of feed protein every year, representing a large carbon footprint. One way to lower the carbon footprint is to substitute traditional fat and protein sources in animal feed with insects. ENORM BioFactory is working towards making insects an alternative to soy, palm oil, fishmeal and other protein sources.

Enorm estimates that the demand for protein in animal feed will rise by 70% over the next 20 years, creating a need for innovative solutions

Sustainable protein

ENORM BioFactory estimates that the demand for protein in animal feed will rise with 70% over the next 20 years, creating a need for innovative solutions and the introduction of alternative protein sources. When ENORM BioFactory’s production is fully operational their aim is to produce 100 tons of larvae every day, substituting some of the imported feed to Danish animal production.

ENORM BioFactory is focusing on animal feed, where black soldier larvaes function as a supplement or replacement of other less sustainable feed sources. ENORM BioFactory’s model is utilizing circular econonomics as the black soldier fly’s larvae feeds on biowaste from nearby food production facilities. They can thus offer a more sustainable source of protein as the worms are able to live off all organic material, and thereby gain sustenance from feeds sources that have little to no value for most other animals.

Efficient, easy and innovative

The insects have a huge potential as they can be farmed anywhere, taking up very little space. The transformation from egg to harvestable worm takes only 17 to 19 days, and the larvae grow 40 times their own bodyweight during the last seven days.

Besides the animal feed solution, ENORM also sees a big potential for human consumption, and has already launched a few products in Danish supermarkets, allowing consumers to snack on the insects with good conscience. In 2018, ENORM received the Food Innovation award for their first moving approach.

Through innovation and creative thinking, the research project SOBcows have opened the door for a potential dairy revolution. As problems with obesity and malnutrition are growing around the world, innovating and developing ways to make dairy products healthier becomes ever more important. The research project SOBcows between Aarhus University and the agricultural knowledge center SEGES is trying to do exactly that, albeit in a new and different way.

Breeding for health

For several years the researchers tracked and registered the different fatty acids of all cows in Denmark, and breeding the cows in ways to maximize the healthy fatty acids while minimizing the unhealthy fatty acids.

As a result, fatty acid measurements are currently available on all cows in Denmark corresponding to 15 million samples, which is uniquely for Denmark. The research shows that the cow’s genes largely determine the content of various fatty acids in the milk, which allows “control” of the fatty acid composition in the milk through breeding.

Fatty acid measurements are currently available on all cows corresponding to 15 mio. samples, which is unique for Denmark

The milk and cheese of the future?

In the long term, the research project might enable Danish companies to produce dairy products – from milk to cheese – with a higher content of healthy fatty acids.

The Danish organic dairy company Naturmælk sees perspectives in innovating cheeses with a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids to a market that increasingly demands organic and healthy products. Therefore, the company has, as part of the project, developed the first cheeses with a higher content of unsaturated fatty acids on a test basis and the preliminary results look promising without significant taste differences between this and traditional cheese.

The project is a perfect example of how health and taste can go hand-in-hand, something that is extremely important in the Danish food innovation.

Obesity is becoming an increasing issue with more than 2.2 billion people being obese or overweight in the world, according to the United Nations. Sugar remains one of the key elements that lead to the rising obesity levels. The art of figuring out how to reduce sugar content, while keeping the flavour profile and feel that consumers want are thus becoming top-of-mind at beverage companies. The global consumers are also more aware of ingredient labels and desires “better-for-you” beverage options – but without sacrificing the great taste and texture they know and love.

The complex challenge of reducing sugar

Sugar is not just a sweetener. It plays an important role in formulation, enhancing flavour and adding functionality. Sugar also contributes to appearance, texture and shelf life and provides body and brings out the fruit taste in beverages. This makes replacing and removing sugar a technical challenge.

Compensating for the sweetness of sugar in recipes could include either diluting the concentration of juice with water, incorporating high intensity sweeteners, or using alternate flavourings. Replacing loss of texture might require different modification techniques. It’s not a matter of a simple substitution as all the drink’s sensory properties will be altered.

Figuring out how to reduce sugar content while keeping the flavour profile that consumers want, are becoming top-of-mind at beverage companies

Finding the innovative solutions

C.P. Kelco, a global nature-based ingredient solutions company with operations in Denmark, conducted a sensory property analysis. They looked at 37 attributes, including texture (mouthfeel), aroma, flavour and aftertaste. Their findings showed that perceived thickness or body in a beverage can come from two different physical characteristics: increased viscosity and density. Each has a unique impact – and both are needed to get the proper match.

A key solution is pectin, a nature-based ingredient derived from sustainably sourced citrus peels. It boosts density, resulting in a richer mouth sensation while leaving the viscosity relatively unchanged. This allows a reduced-sugar, fruit-flavoured beverage to come closer to matching its full-sugar counterpart with a pleasant flavour release. Leveraging this nature-based ingredient can help formulators meet sensory expectations while delivering the low-sugar and clean label requirements that consumers want.

In a world with growing problems of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), ensuring healthier dietary habits has been growing in importance. In Denmark, one of the successful initiatives has been the Nordic nutrition label called “The Keyhole”, which was launched in Denmark in 2009. The Keyhole works as an indicator for consumers and stimulates product development and reformulation.

Guiding consumers to make the right choice

The Keyhole has one overall mission: Making it easier for consumers to make the healthier choice. The label has gained rapid success with substantial support from Danish food producers and retailers in the market. The Keyhole is obtainable for food products complying with the criteria laid down for the use of the label. The provisions for The Keyhole lay down criteria for fat, sugar, salt, dietary fibre, wholegrain, fruit and vegetables and energy. The criteria vary depending on the food category.

Today, 95% of Danes know the Keyhole, and by replacing other products with products marked with The Keyhole label, consumers can achieve a significant improvement in nutrient intake.

By choosing food products labelled with the Keyhole, consumers can increase the intake of wholegrain with 36g/day

The purpose: Healthier foods

The Technical University of Denmark has calculated the effect on key nutrient parameters of replacing all 4-75 year-old Danes’ normal diet with Keyhole-labelled products on the market in 2017 in areas, where it is possible and realistic.

The results published in 2019 show a significant improvement in nutrient intake: For example, whole grain intake would increase by 36 g/day (62%), saturated fat E% would decrease by 25% and the sodium intake would decrease by 443 mg sodium per day (12%), corresponding to just over 1 g of salt per day. And because the Keyhole incentivizes companies to develop products that match the criteria for the use of the label, there are now no less than 4.000 Keyhole products, making the healthier choice ever easier.

The global focus on sustainable, natural and clean products is also felt in the dietary supplements industry where new variants must be considered by producers to reach the consumer demands. The Danish brand Novo Vita is now paving the way by releasing a new series of innovative, natural and food-based lifestyle-products.

The challenge with dietary supplements

In today’s modern food system, the development of innovative, natural and safe food production is crucial when meeting rising consumer demands and in the process of addressing global challenges such as poor food quality and environmental aspects.

While the production of vegan, “clean label” and organic food is increasing, the demand for dietary supplements is rising as well. The majority of supplements are however made from synthetic ingredients.

Novo vita provides safe, pure and transparent supplements for global consumers

Food-based supplements, with natural additives.

The Danish dietary supplement brand, Novo Vita, now meets consumer demand by presenting an innovative range of vegan, food-based and natural dietary supplements – with more even being certified organic. Being the first Scandinavian brand to introduce a vegan, innovative and food-based dietary supplement series, the Novo Vita brand only accepts natural additives, sweeteners and colorants (such as rice powder, steviol glycosides and beet extract) in order to provide pure, safe and and food-based supplements for global consumers.

High Quality Food Supplements

Traceability, high quality and food safety are essential traits of the Novo Vita brand. By selecting the very best raw materials, securing full traceability and transparency in the value chain, and implementing transparent control systems that document product safety, Novo Vita ensures high product quality as well as compliance with national and EU food regulations.

Taking healthy living global

The Novo Vita natural supplement series offers a holistic alternative to conventional dietary supplements, and hereby supports Denmark’s innovative role within safe, natural and organic food development, in a novel way.

The Disko Bay near Ilulissat is situated in West Greenland and has the fastest and most active glaciers in the world. In a continuous, natural process, the ice sheet “calves” icebergs every second, which melt and are absorbed into the ocean.  Each day, this area alone, is generating more than 70 million metric tons of icebergs. Bottling this ice thus retrieves one of the most valuable natural resources that exists – clean drinking water sold under the name INLAND ICE.

Pioneering Purity

Water quality is measured in TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) and refers to any minerals, salts, metals, cations or anions dissolved in water. The TDS mg/l levels of most premium water products generally measure at approximately 150-500 TDS mg/l. INLAND ICE water undergoes three water quality tests during the bottling process and has, in comparison, a TDS mg/l level of extreme purity of 15 TDS mg/l.

Each day, this area alone, is generating more than 70 million metric tons of icebergs

The purity is due to the Inland Ice being encapsulated for more than 100,000 years completely isolated from any contact with layers of soil. This process of preservation is what has kept this product of nature in a uniquely pristine state free of any contamination or pollutants.

Every Bottle Contributes to the Welfare of the Greenland Community

The indigenous people of Greenland, “inuits”, are traditionally subsistence hunters and, as their climate is not suitable for agriculture, today fishing has become the lifeline and primary industry of Greenland’s economy.

However, it is an important and necessary priority for the government of Greenland (Naalakkersuisuts) to strengthen their economy by developing new industries and, thereby, improving the welfare and economic independence of the Greenlandic people. A licence has thus been granted by Naalakkersuisuts to allow the production of INLAND ICE water and harvesting of the calving ice in return for royalties paid for every litre harvested.

As the global population heads towards 10 billion people by 2050, reutilisation capabilities will play a vital role in relieving the pressure on the world’s resources.

At the Danish rendering company Haarslev, this has been a speciality for more than a century. It is here that by-products from meat, poultry and fish production are delivered and valuable components extracted using today’s most sustainable processing technology.

Upcycling by-products

The rendering industry is one of the oldest recycling industries on the planet. By breaking down meat, poultry and fish waste, the process draws out useful proteins, minerals and oils. These can then be used in other products such as fuel, soap, rubber, plastic and animal feed.

By breaking down meat, poultry and fish waste, rendering  draws out useful proteins, minerals and oils for reuse – reducing a significant environmental burden

At the same time, rendering solves what would otherwise be a significant economic and environmental burden on areas involved in industrial scale slaughtering.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Haarslev helps slaughterhouses and independent renderers all over the world turn meat by-products into valuable co-products. Through the use of specialist equipment and knowhow, a safe and healthy rendering process is ensured.

Minimal carbon dioxide and methane emissions also make rendering a far preferable alternative to landfill, incinerators and other means of waste disposal reducing a significant environmental and economic burden in the process.

The fast implementation of automatic washing of pig farms in Denmark leads the way to increased hygiene and efficiency internationally. Further, it creates a better working environment and heighten your biosecurity.

Maintaining high levels of hygiene is essential in modern pig production. By not having the most up-to-date equipment, pig farming can be labor-demanding. Denmark is a global leader in automation processes for pig farming that lead to high levels of hygiene and on top can reduce manual labor needed for the operations.

Washing robot increases work environment and biosecurity

The washing robot from the Danish company Washpower is today operating in more than 150 pig houses throughout Denmark. It removes the hard manual work of washing with high pressure washers and thus increase the working environment, as this is the most demanding part of the washing process. In addition, the general hygiene levels increase due to more attention on the final part of the washing process, being the soaping and disinfection process.

 automatic wash process is cut down from 5 hours per one section to 4, optimising existing working processes without compromising on quality and increases hygiene levels

The automatic washing process removes the need for external people in the farms which increases biosecurity and frees up time for the normal staff to take care of the piglets and pigs. Finally, the washing robot is often quicker in doing the job and it can run during the night. This increase the drying time enhancing the production cycle and thus increase earnings and biosecurity.

Increasing hygiene levels in the US

In 2019 the United States based Pipestone Veterinary Services reached out to Washpower to test the robot. The goals were clear: Pipestone wanted to improve the working environment, ensure fewer people in the farmhouses, increase hygiene levels and increase speed in the washing process without compromising on quality.

After a demonstration, Pipestone Veterinary Services found that the automatic washing process had met all their goals: Staff worked very limited with high pressure cleaning as the robot did all initial cleaning meaning that the washing process was cut down from 5 hours per one section to 4 hours. Number of staffs needed for the process was reduced from 2-3 people to 1 person, who only spend approx. 2 hours on the process. All in all, the hygiene levels were improved, staff motivation was improved substantially, and the time saved was allocated to other primary tasks in the farmhouses.

Following this test, Pipestone decided to assist other farms in US gaining the same results by entering a partnership with Washpower and let automatic washing to become a natural part of US farms in the future.

What began with 14 months of intense recipe development on a Danish island is becoming a story of sustainable packaging of high-end liquorice products to a global market.

In 2007, after testing and boiling liquorice for 14 months, the recipe to kickstart what rose into a globally sought-after liquorice brand was finally nailed. More than 2,000 stores worldwide now sell the expanding line of LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW liquorice product varieties.

While not losing a strong focus on product development, the liquorice company is well ahead in a transitional phase regarding its packaging. The company taps into a growing consumer-driven demand for responsible packaging that differentiates companies in competitive markets across sectors, not least in the agri-food industry.

The jar labels is made from sustainable paper sources and 70% of the giftbox cardboards is from recycled material

A global demand for sustainable packaging

The global increasing demand for responsible choices in production including packaging options is thus beginning to have an impact. To LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW this has resulted in changed choices of material and a rethinking of packaging towards what they call “sustainable luxury”. This means creating a luxurious product experience that doesn’t compromise sustainability.

The first steps taken by the company is the use of 100% recycled and recyclable plastic for their jars while removing the use of a metal sealing from the lids. Next, in 2021, the company started using recycled glass jars. Most recently, refill bags have been introduced – enabling customers to buy a bag and fill it into the glass jar at home. Labelling on the jars is made from sustainable paper sources and the cardboard for their giftboxes consists of 70% recycled material.

Continuous optimisation

Now and in the near future, companies that embrace the opportunity to take environmental leadership will reap rewards. LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW has taken crucial steps in the optimisation of packaging and processes towards sustainability and are continuously working on how to optimise their processes to become even more sustainable.

Pig producers around the world face the same challenge: how to reduce waste and improve the efficiency of their production. The barn feeding system is often a good place to start.

Representing the pig farmer’s biggest expense, feed accounts for around 50% of the costs on sow farms and up to 80% on farms that focus on raising finishers. So, any opportunity to cut feed waste through better feeding control is also an opportunity to improve profits.

One of Europe’s leading developers and suppliers of barn equipment, Danish ACO FUNKI has the efficient feeding systems to make that happen.

ADVANCED PHASE FEEDING SYSTEMS REDUCE FEED WASTE AND GIVE COMPLETE FEED TRACEABILITY AND STORAGE CONTROL

Phase feeding ensures lower feed consumption

ACO FUNKI’s advanced phase feeding systems are designed to ensure all pigs receive the right feed mixes for their age and, thanks to sensor control, that they get just enough feed to meet their needs. So very little feed is left over in the trough.

In this way, farmers reduce feed waste and as an extra benefit also obtain complete feed traceability and storage control.

From waste to profits

Residual-free liquid feeding also ensures no remnants are left in the feed pipes after feeding. So, the feed distributed to the pigs is always completely fresh, reducing bacteria and infections in the barn and cutting medicine consumption by 50%.