Projecttitel: AlgaeLinkages
Projectnummer: AF-14322
Missie: Kringlooplandbouw
MMIP: Hergebruik zij- en reststromen (A3)
Looptijd: 2016-2020
Budget publiek: € 560.000
Budget privaat: € 727.000
Projectleider: Lolke Sijtsma
Projectpartners: Finca Ahuehuetes, Rancho Medio Kilo, Rondeel, Schothorst Feed Research, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Van Hall Larenstein, Wageningen University & Research
A new, integrated and sustainable Agrifood chain will be developed, using drain water from the Mexican greenhouse industry as a source for microalgae production that can be used as poultry feed to generate omega-3 enriched eggs. Future implementation of this Agrifood chain will decrease water scarcity problems and create sustainable feed and enriched, healthy eggs using Dutch knowledge and technology.
In Mexico the greenhouse industry is expanding fast, giving rise to a huge amount of water that needs to be treated. Microalgae are a perfect solution to treat the generated drain water from the greenhouse industry using the remaining nutrients efficiently. This leads to clean water producing a valuable product at the same time.
Microalgae are able to produce biomass containing essential fatty acids. Addition of this biomass, which contains next to omega-3 fatty acids other health-improving components, to chicken feed will both benefit the health of the chicken and the final human consumer of the enriched egg.
Within this project full integration of all process steps in this complete agrifood chain will be performed obtaining long term field results on growing microalgae on greenhouse drain water. Dutch knowledge on microalgae cultivation, further processing and feed conversion rates and value for poultry will be implemented in the climatologically favourable Mexico where the need exists to alleviate problems regarding to drain water emission and water shortage. Moreover, the added value of microalgal based feed products for poultry with regard to increased health of the hens and their eggs will be confirmed.
Microalgae pilot plants will be tested using greenhouse drain water at a greenhouse, producing tomatoes, in central Mexico. The produced micro-algal biomass will be used in the Netherlands as poultry feed for laying hens in order to study the enrichment of the eggs with omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo digestibility aspects and health of laying hens will be investigated. The created additional value compared to existing poultry feed will be determined for the current market and the possible future markets.
By finishing this project a sustainable process for feed production from microalgae on drain water is demonstrated at pilot scale. Biomass valorisation will be optimized and the feed value and conversion rate of the biomass for poultry will be known. Once proven successful and economically feasible the sustainable approach used in this project can be replicated in Mexico, the Netherlands and the rest of the world.
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