Potatoes are a crop that, in our latitudes, can only yield once a year and, when stored for a long time, loses starch. This determines the seasonality of the work of starch factories (such enterprises are forced to stop production between processing seasons).
The Danish company SiccaDania has developed a concept for a plant that will be able to process completely different crops. Such a plant would operate all year round, switching from potatoes to beans or peas. The plant is located in Croatia and is slated to launch in August 2021.
This concept is presented for the first time, and the production itself will be waste-free and one of the most modern in Europe.
NUTRIS, the owner of the new plant, intends to become a significant player in the world market for plant protein isolates, offering not only its products, but also solutions that will help make food healthier, tastier and also help preserve the environment. The plant is designed in accordance with the SiccaDania: One-In-All-Out © waste-free concept, which provides for the production of starch, proteins, fiber and liquid fertilizers.
By Evgeniy Rebny, Sales Manager of SiccaDania
The processing of potatoes for starch is usually limited to 4-6 months, and the rest of the time the plant is idle. To optimize the production cycle, SiccaDania has developed a new concept for the starch and protein plant. This unique production will be able to process potatoes in the fall and then work on legumes. The main feature of the plant is flexibility and high margins of manufactured products. Thus, potato starch is the most expensive and profitable type of starch, and protein isolate is the most expensive food component obtained from beans.
The ability to produce 6 products and process various crops will allow the plant to operate all year round and receive the product that is most in demand at the moment.
The plant's products are edible potato and legume starches, fodder potato protein and edible legume protein isolate, dietary fiber, liquid organic fertilizer.
Bean Protein Isolate is a complete protein and is free from allergens and digestive enzyme inhibitors. Therefore, this isolate is a good alternative to pea and soy isolate.
The bean isolate will be used as a raw material for the production of vegetarian products and plant-based milk.
Almost all divisions of the SiccaDania group of companies worked on this project. Thus, the Danish office was responsible for the development of the concept and full testing of the processes at the pilot plant, for the supply of starch equipment - SiccaDania NL, large-sized equipment was manufactured at the ACO SiccaDania plant (Poland).
By Keld Markedal, Development Manager for Tech. SiccaDania processes
The high demand for protein isolates has set us the task of developing a technology for extracting proteins from various plant materials.
Our research center has developed industrial technologies for the production of protein isolates from rapeseed meal, legumes (peas, Asian beans, beans, lentils and chickpeas), amaranth, lupine. I would like to note that we are not only developing technologies, but also producing batches of various protein isolates for our clients. The resulting isolates are used to study market demand and formulate final products.