Grass protein for food and feed ingredients

The Nurmiproteiini project focuses on producing protein from grass. The objective is to be able to utilize grass protein in the diets of monogastric animals and ultimately also directly for human consumption. In Finland, both agriculture and food self-sufficiency are based on ruminant production, but as the number of cattle is decreasing, we need to find novel ways to utilize grass. The project aims at maintaining high national food self-sufficiency, continuing gras cultivation and creating new business opportunities for farms and companies within food and agricultural sectors.

Grass grows well and gives the highest energy and protein yields per hectare in the Northern cultivation conditions and is rich in high nutritional quality protein. In addition, grass cultivation binds carbon to the soil, improves the particle structure as well as water and nutrient holding capacity of soil. Grass cultivation thus both mitigates the climate change and increases the resilience of agriculture.

The primary aim of the project is to demonstrate the possibility to technically and economically produce grass protein, which is suitable for protein feeds and for direct human use. The research focuses on the selection of suitable raw materials, scaling up the production process from laboratory to pilot-scale, and testing the properties of the produced grass protein. Also the antinutrients, which need to be followed in the raw material, are identified. The research within the project will be performed in co-operation between Luke, VTT, Valio and Atria.

The project provides new research results about the suitability of Northern grass species for feed and food ingredients. At is best, the project will improve the protein self-sufficiency and the overall sustainability of food production, provide agricultural companies and farms new business opportunities and new export possibilities in the form of expertise, equipment, process input and food products.