Foodtech start-up, Gavan Technologies, Ltd., has developed a novel, waste-free protein extraction method that completes the sustainability loop through the practice of upcycling. The company supports the circular economy by positioning total plant extraction at the core of its operations.
Said Itai Cohen, CEO and co-founder, Gavan: “Our new, multistep technological platform enables us to take any plant source, isolate and extricate multiple proteins and other valuable components until the source is fully consumed. No part of the plant is left out. Moreover, the proteins maintain their original form—there is no resulting modification to their physical structure. All of the source’s nutritional and functional qualities are fully preserved.”
Gavan’s proprietary modification platform harnesses the versatility of each plant component’s unique functional characteristics to produce: natural colours, protein isolates, flavour enhancers, gluten substitutes, and other useful compounds. The process requires zero-to-minimal heat, allowing for up to a tenfold reduction in energy consumption.
Added Cohen: “Over the last decade, food industry players have been consciously shifting their industrial processes to more sustainable standards. They have actively been striving to align their operations to meet the European Commission’s Green Deal call for greater resource efficiency in response to consumers’ efforts to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Consumers want to know how their food is manufactured, where the ingredients come from, and what is the environmental footprint of the products they are buying.”
“Innovation within alt protein production focuses predominantly on finding more exotic sources of protein and processing them into innovative, palate-friendly alternatives to animal proteins. Many of the methods used, however, fail to glean the full value of the plant source in terms of functional components and holistic goodness. They end up wasting valuable raw material.”
Many methods employed in protein extraction involve multiphase chemical processes, leading to intrinsic losses in both yield and quality at each step. Up to 80% of the plant source can be wasted, or relegated to compost or animal feed. In some cases, the company has to allocate funds to remove the waste.
The side stream products generated often become too diluted to use, or too reduced in quality, to be truly beneficial. Further energy-intensive separation and drying methods make such methods even more costly and less environmentally sound.
Concluded Cohen: “The problem is not the source nor the product; the problem is within the process. We developed advanced methods for protein extraction from inception, and that by design are regenerative. We can exploit all of a plant’s components and explore their functional potential in endless food applications, without imparting any sensory shortcomings. Being sustainable and circular is integral to our business model.” For more visit gavan.bio
