Transforming Agricultural Byproducts into Sustainable Pet Food IngredientsLEUVEN, BELGIUM — EIT Food, a leading food innovation community, and Mars Petcare, a global pet food giant, have joined forces to launch an Open Innovation Challenge. This initiative aims to identify innovative solutions that can transform agricultural byproducts, such as crop residues and vegetable processing waste, into high-value protein and sugar-based ingredients for pet food.

Unlocking the Potential of Waste to Nourish Pets

Tackling the Fiber Conundrum

Agricultural byproducts often contain high-quality proteins, but they are accompanied by high levels of insoluble fibers that limit their use in pet food. These fibers can be difficult for pets to digest, making them unsuitable for inclusion in pet food formulations. The Open Innovation Challenge seeks to address this challenge by developing innovative technologies and processes that can effectively convert these insoluble fiber fractions into materials that can be easily digested by dogs and cats.By transforming these agricultural waste streams into valuable pet food ingredients, the challenge participants can unlock the nutritional potential of what would otherwise be considered waste. This not only presents an opportunity to enhance the sustainability of the pet food industry but also contributes to the broader goal of reducing food waste and promoting a more circular economy.

Fostering Collaborative Innovation

The Open Innovation Challenge provides a platform for startups, academia, research institutes, and established organizations within the pet food industry to collaborate and develop innovative solutions. By tapping into the ecosystem and expertise of EIT Food, participants can leverage the community's resources, knowledge, and networking opportunities to accelerate the development and scaling of their transformative ideas."This Open Innovation Challenge with EIT Food represents a significant step forward in our mission to drive more sustainable food solutions for pets," said Michael Horan, Global S&T Platform Leader Material Science at Mars Petcare. "We believe that we have a lot to offer when it comes to open innovation approaches and are excited to tap into this using the ecosystem and know-how of EIT Food."

Unlocking the Value of Agricultural Byproducts

The challenge aims to transform agricultural byproducts, such as straw from crop harvesting or waste from peeling and chopping vegetables, into high-value pet food ingredients. By improving the digestibility of these materials, the participants can enable the use of what would otherwise be considered waste as a sustainable and nutritious option for pet food."Agricultural byproducts often comprise of high-quality proteins but come with high levels of insoluble fibers that limit usage in pet food due to being difficult for pets to digest," explained Benoit Buntnix, Director of Business Creation at EIT Food. "Transforming the insoluble fiber fractions into materials that can be effectively digested in the gut of a dog or cat would allow the usage of what would otherwise be a waste material as a valuable and more sustainable option for pet food."

Accelerating Sustainable Pet Food Solutions

The Open Innovation Challenge represents a significant step forward in the pursuit of more sustainable pet food solutions. By fostering collaboration between industry players, academia, and research institutions, the initiative aims to drive innovative breakthroughs that can transform agricultural byproducts into valuable and nutritious pet food ingredients.This collaborative approach not only addresses the specific challenge of fiber-to-protein and sugar conversion but also has the potential to unlock broader sustainability benefits for the pet food industry. As the participants work to develop and scale their innovative solutions, they can contribute to the creation of a more circular and environmentally-conscious pet food ecosystem.Applications for the Open Innovation Challenge are now open until September 22nd, inviting startups, academia, research institutes, and established organizations to submit their proposals. This opportunity presents a unique chance for industry stakeholders to collaborate, innovate, and drive meaningful progress towards a more sustainable future for pet food.