Pet Food Processing - January 2024 - 9

We need cultivated meat
now more than ever. Pet
food is the natural starting point, given
consumers' excitement. We're thrilled
to be at the heart of the future of meat
production in the UK. "
Owen Ensor, Meatly
Bene Meat Technologies registers
cultured meat for use in pet food
Bio-technology startup Bene Meat Technologies' (BMT) cultured
meat has been registered with the European Feed Materials
Register, allowing the company to produce and sell its cultured
meat products to the European pet food industry. According to
BMT, this makes it the only entity throughout the globe that can
produce and sell its product for pet food formulas.
BMT's cultured meat
is produced in laboratory bioreactors
without the use of fetal bovine serum (FBS), which can be extremely
expensive to procure and often lacks scalability, according
to the company. Instead, BMT non-violently removes cells from
a living animal, then grows them in a nutrient-rich medium. The
resulting product is then texturized and formed into the desired
shape and ready for use in pet food formulas. Through this method,
BMT's cultured meat offers a more competitive price, according
to the company.
BÜHLER TO SUPPORT
COMMERCIAL YELLOW MEALWORM
PRODUCTION IN LITHUANIA
Bühler Group has partnered with Divaks, a Lithuanian
producer of insect-based products, to support the
company as it establishes its first commercial-scale
plant for production of yellow mealworms.
Divaks is building on a pilot plant established in
May 2022 and is now ramping up production on
an industrial scale. The upcoming facility will span
approximately 107,639 square feet and completion is
expected in 2025.
According to the company, its EU registration represents an
important milestone for the pet food industry, animal agriculture
industry and pet parents. Following this, BMT plans to introduce
the first pet food made with cultured meat next year, with its production
scale set to expand in the second half of 2024.
" We know that at this stage of the research we have already met
the needs of pet food producers, who are constantly looking for
ethically and economically meaningful ways to satisfy their demanding
customers, pet owners, with their products, " said Roman
Kříž, managing director of BMT. " And we are personally excited
that for the first time in history we are offering a quality meat alternative
without killing animals and at a competitive price. "
The facility will convert Tenebrio molitor into
ingredients for use in premium pet food, as well
as meat alternatives, snacks, sports nutrition and
confectionery applications. Once finished, the plant will
have the capacity to produce up to 15,000 tonnes of
insect-derived products annually.
" We are delighted to have been chosen to provide
a full-scope solution for Divaks' yellow mealworm
production site, " said Andreas Baumann, head of
market segment, insect technology at Bühler. " It
reinforces Bühler's commitment to ambitious targets
that will help to mitigate climate change and build a
more sustainable food system. "
Bühler will spearhead the plant's process technology.
This includes feedstock preparation, a fully automated
larvae growth system with climate control, and a
processing line to create various yellow mealworm
ingredients such as textured proteins, protein
concentrates and other specialized ingredients for the
food industry.
" Edible insects have a key role to play as we move
toward a more resilient and sustainable food system, "
said Kęstutis Lipnickas, chief executive officer and
co-founder of Divaks. " Our new facility will help food
brands tap into this fast-growing, high-potential sector
with high-quality protein ingredients for premium food
products. "
www.petfoodprocessing.net | January 2024 | PET FOOD PROCESSING 9
Divaks, Bene Meat Technologies
http://www.petfoodprocessing.net
Pet Food Processing - January 2024

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