3R's - Reduce, recycle, reuse

1. Reduction of food waste

Reducing food waste is a global challenge. According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), one-third of the food produced worldwide is wasted. In the European Union, around 59 million tonnes of food are wasted annually.

At 3A BIOTECH, our production of natural antioxidants and preservatives, along with the evaluation of their synergy, allows us to REDUCE food waste by controlling the deterioration of animal feed products, thereby extending their shelf life.

A significant portion of pet and livestock feed ingredients suffer from oxidation and microbial spoilage, reducing their availability and use. Increases in rancidity and microbial spoilage lead to greater wastes. We develop formulations of natural antioxidants (such as tocopherols, rosemary, olive, tea, among others) and preservatives (short and long-chain organic acids) that prolong shelf life, extending the expiry date by up to 70% or more, depending on the composition of the ingredients and the doses used.

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Through this strategy of REDUCING food waste by using antioxidants and preservatives, 3A BIOTECH aligns with the European Green Deal through the Circular Economy Action Plan and the Farm to Fork Strategy.

2. Recycling of By-Products

The main activity of 3A BIOTECH includes the RECYCLING of by-products obtained from various production processes, including:

Extraction of a natural extract rich in rosmarinic acid: from recycling a by-product generated during rosemary extraction. This natural extract has technological antioxidant properties to control feed rancidity and extend its shelf life, as well as biological antioxidant properties to prevent cellular damage.

Antioxidants from olive by-products: especially from olive leaves, which have antioxidant and prebiotic properties, extending food shelf life and promoting bacterial balance.

Tocopherols from vegetable oil by-products: recycled from deodorization distillated during vegetable oil refining, they are widely known as natural antioxidants in animal feed.

Reuse of almond shells: used as a support in the formulation of natural antioxidants and preservatives.

Animal and fish by-products: used in another recycling cycle for the production of meals, fats, and oils, where we apply our additives to ensure food preservation and safety.

Our ability to recycle various industrial by-products and isolate antioxidant and preservative molecules is a hallmark of 3A BIOTECH's R&D Department.

3. Reuse of Food Ingredients

Many antioxidants and preservatives are REUSED in different applications. Natural antioxidants, besides extending the shelf life of food ingredients, have other uses:

Prebiotics: modulate the intestinal microbiota in animal and human nutrition.

Biological antioxidants: protect against cellular damage.

Technological adjuvants: control the Redox potential in fermentation processes and the drying of food colourants.

Additionally, the by-products generated at our biotechnology plant at 3A BIOTECH are REUSED to design probiotic systems in animal feed. In this regard, the cellular biomass obtained from various biotechnological processes is reused due to its probiotic properties.

4. 3A BIOTECH's triple R Model

This model makes us a company committed to and involved in the reduction of waste, recycling, and reuse of by-products, providing the animal feed industry with the economic and environmental sustainability, so essential in these times.

At 3A BIOTECH, we contribute to making moments of quality, benefiting end consumers and minimising waste by extending the shelf life of food. Our goal is to maintain organoleptic properties and health benefits for longer, reflecting our effort to return the resources consumed to society and form an eco-sustainable production chain.

By: 3A Biotech 

Source: All Pet Food Magazine