The offal and blood of slaughter animals can be used to a greater extent than is currently the case. This would ensure more sustainable production and could provide better health for consumers, say scientists from Nofima.
Nofima is a Norwegian food research institute that conducts business-oriented research and development in the field of aquaculture, fishing and food. The company is constantly involved in several hundred innovative projects the results are put into practice.
Several important nutrients
Animal foods contain several important nutrients that we need. Complex and important vitamins, such as B12, the body needs to replenish from time to time, and the best source is meat. Less than 50 percent of cattle is meat, the rest is bones, intestines, and blood. This raw material is now largely used as animal feed, but if we look back a few decades then we used much more of this raw material as food for humans.
We lack healthy and traditional food
- Previously, culinary culture allowed the use of almost the entire animal. Today, thanks to greater prosperity, we have moved away from food made from offal and blood. Now the consumer wants only the best cuts of meat and we lack healthy and traditional food. Currently, Nofima is working to make greater use of such food, both from a health and sustainability point of view. This is a job I am supporting, says Olaug Bollestad, Minister of Agriculture and Food.
The industry is interested
In recent years, the meat industry has shown more interest in using the remaining raw materials for purposes other than animal feed. However, for industry to be able to participate, consumers have to buy products. Offal and blood must ensure better profitability. Creativity, better insight into new knowledge are essential to find good solutions.
One industry that is good at this is the reindeer industry. They have a different culture of using the whole animal and are better able to sell the whole animal to the consumer.
According to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). The main reason for the increase in meat consumption in the world is the increase in welfare, especially in developing countries such as Brazil and China. That is why it is so important to implement innovations in industrial food production.
