TRANSFORMING RIVERLAND FOOD LOSS AND INDUSTRY

WASTE INTO PROFIT PROJECT

SARMS Industry-led Research Sub-Program Round 2

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The proposed project activities were:

1. Expand the 2015 AusIndustry mapping of current food loss and industry waste streams and evaluate existing potential waste transformation infrastructure.

2. Characterise/bio-prospect all major horticultural and agricultural food loss streams to evaluate, recover and recycle valuable ingredients into high value added products or bioenergy.

3. Conduct market insight studies to determine what regional business initiatives could best be created.

4. Provide technology and/or infrastructure recommendations for the Loxton Research Centre and region to increase waste transformation, including cost-benefit analyses.

PROJECT SUMMARY

APPROACH TAKEN

HIERARCHY OF ALTERNATIVE USES:

Rogers (2013)

OBJECTIVE 1 – SURVEY RESULTS

Extrapolated volumes of principal horticulture and wine industry waste streams

OBJECTIVE 2 – BIOPROSPECTING RESULTS: HORTICULTURE

Analytical Protocols

Moisture Content

Ash Content

Calorific Value

Antioxidant Content

Antioxidant Activity

Free Glucose Content

Reducing Sugars

Pectin Content

Total Carbohydrate Content

Crude Proteins

Crude Lipids

Fatty Acid Profiles

Photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic pigments

OBJECTIVE 2 – BIOPROSPECTING RESULTS: HORTICULTURE

Key findings included:

- significant potential for using almond skin/husk and shell for bioenergy following extraction of phytochemicals for nutraceuticals;

- high potential for extracting anti-oxidant and flavonoids from brown onion peel;

- high anti-oxidant activity in the pulp of Royal blue and Nadine potatoes = nutraceutical ingredients and natural food preservatives;

- high crude vegetable protein in Maranca potato, carrot and onion peels = functional food ingredients;

- strong market potential for β-glucan and dietary fibre constituents should drive future work into isolation and purification.

Common wine industry waste streams

OBJECTIVE 2 – BIOPROSPECTING RESULTS: WINE INDUSTRY

Key findings included:

- turning woody waste streams (posts, prunings and stalks) into composite wood products;

- extraction of trans-resveratrol and associated anti-oxidants from prunings and stalks;

- use of grape marc, either as a powder or dried extract, into health applications;

- use of grape marc seeds for oil and/or anti-oxidants;

- the use of some, or all, wine industry waste streams in the production of bioenergy.

OBJECTIVE 2 – BIOPROSPECTING RESULTS: WINE INDUSTRY

OBJECTIVE 3 – MARKET INSIGHTS

Market Insights

1.Anti-oxidants, carotenoids,

glucose, phytonutrients, flavonoids and

starch

Innovative foods from fruit pulp and

citrus peels.

1.Recovery of bio-based chemicals, such as

potassium from winery waste water.

Significant need for commercial composting

opportunities in the study area.

Combining potato, citrus, grape marc

and vegetable waste for balanced animal

feeds.

1.Grape seed extract, resveratrol, grape seed

oil

OBJECTIVE 3 – MARKET INSIGHTS: Bioprocessing and Bioenergy Opportunities

Bioenergy opportunities:

• Pyrolysis (fast or slow), combustion and gasification of almond shells/hulls.

• Vegetable waste and grape marc +winery waste water anaerobic digestion (AD).

• Ethanol Production from vegetable waste Azeotropic steam Fuel Cell

Horticultural Waste Streams Vineyard and Winery Waste

Potatoes Carrots Onions Almonds Citrus Stone Fruit Grape Marc Stalks Pruning's

Combustion

Gasification

Pyrolysis

Anaerobic Digestion

Biofuel Production

Table 1: Bioenergy technology matrix identifying potential opportunities for primary production and waste points within the Riverland, Murraylands, and Murray Mallee. Green represents high suitability for bioenergy technology, with yellow representing moderate suitability and red representing low suitability.

OBJECTIVE 3 – MARKET INSIGHTS: Bioprocessing and Bioenergy OpportunitiesCurrent Case Studies

Biogass Renewables AD plant at Richgro in Jandakot, WA Waste-to-Energy ORC: Burning oat husks @ Wagin, WA

Gills Onions Power Plant, USA: Biogas to direct fuel cell Australian Tartaric Products: Biomass boiler utilising grape marc

OBJECTIVE 3 – MARKET INSIGHTS: Bioprocessing and Bioenergy Opportunities

Biochar

© 2017 International Biochar Initiative

Major limitations to the biochar industry expansion lie with the lack of consumer awareness, technology constraints and access to financing.

Small-Scale

Tailored for high-end, niche

markets.

Industrial scale

Land remediationGreen-house gas

abatement orientated.

Gardening and landscaping operations

Does the market exist?

OBJECTIVE 4 – INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS

1. Existing infrastructure could be more effectively used.

2. Loxton Research Centre could be enhanced with extraction, isolation and purification technologies.

3. Commercial scale fixed freeze dryer or a High Pressure Processing unit to turn existing waste streams into value added food products.

4. Industrial drying ovens and bioactive isolation and purification facilities for accessing the nutraceutical ingredient market.

5. Significant local interest in bioenergy production, with almond waste identified as the most promising feedstock (for pyrolysis).

6. Mobile infrastructure, such as a pyrolysis plant for fresh red marc and woody waste to produce biochar, could operate from the LRC and provide potential revenue.

7. Organic recycling options are non-existent in the region and may now be economically viable.

Where to from here?

FIGHT FOOD WASTE

& FRAUD CRCTo protect and profit Australia’s food & wine industry