[Rediscovering Eumsseu]⑥ The Country That Produced Europe's Largest Waste... Turning Beer Residue into 'High-Protein Grain Flour'

On-site Report of Denmark Food Upcycling
Producing Grain Flour from Aggrain Beer Lees
Old Chicken Stock and Discarded Items as Fermented Broth

"ChatGPT, please tell me about notable food upcycling companies in Denmark."

After traveling nonstop for more than a day from Korea, I was able to visit a food upcycling production factory recommended by ChatGPT in the quiet rural village of Gummersmarkvej in Denmark. On a spacious site of about 9,000 square meters (㎡), there is a 1,000㎡ food upcycling company called Agrain. Agrain produces various flavorful and textured grain flours by utilizing spent grain, the residue left after beer brewing. These grain flours are used in a variety of recipes such as bread, pizza, and desserts.

'Agrain' transforms beer residue into versatile high-protein grain flour

Denmark was once considered the largest waste producer in Europe. According to Eurostat, in 2015, the annual waste generation per capita was about 789 kg, ranking first among European Union (EU) member countries. However, as social awareness of environmental friendliness changed, Denmark successfully reduced waste in a short period.

Circular Food Technology, which operates Agrain, started from the awareness that the current economic system is no longer sustainable. Moving away from the existing "linear economy" process of "resource extraction → mass production → disposal," they believe that only by transitioning to a "circular economy" system that builds a circulation network for discarded resources and minimizes input resources and energy can global economic sustainability be secured and the burden on future generations reduced.

Founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2018, Circular Food Technology launched the food upcycling brand Agrain and is introducing related products. As the brand name means "grain," Agrain focuses on upcycling discarded grains.

Aviaja Riemann-Andersen, founder and CEO of Circular Food Technology, said, "The problem of resource waste exceeding ecological capacity in the linear food system can be easily observed around us." She added, "If you want to change a rather conservative system like food, you need to choose ingredients that play an important role in diets. Since grains are essential ingredients in diets across all cultures, I thought they were the optimal material in terms of versatility and scalability."

(From left) Aviaja Riemann-Andersen, CEO of Danish upcycling food company 'Circular Food Technology,' and Jesper Clement, Chief Operating Officer.
Photo by Eunmo Koo

Agrain produces various grain flours and crackers by utilizing spent grain, the residue of malt left after beer brewing. Approximately 40 million tons of spent grain are generated worldwide each year, and many breweries, including Carlsberg in Denmark, produce large amounts of it. However, the reuse rate is almost zero, and most of it is discarded through landfill and incineration processes, emitting large amounts of carbon.

Agrain judged that spent grain is a food byproduct that poses no problem as a raw material for food under European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) regulations and is mostly discarded without purpose, making it an easy-to-supply material and a good starting point for the food upcycling business. CEO Riemann-Andersen said, "Agrain's technological strength lies in the algorithms of the production process, such as temperature control, timing, and mixing ratios, rather than in the equipment or process itself." She added, "Food upcycling does not require developing complex new technologies, and since the resources already exist, it will become a core area of food tech."

Brewing grains (left), the raw material, and the grain powder completed through upcycling.
[Photo by Eunmo Gu]

Spent Grain Flour from Aggrein completed through upcycling.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

In fact, Agrain's production process can be simplified into three steps: 'pressing → drying → grinding.' The raw material, spent grain, is pressed in a screw press to reduce moisture content to about half, then moved to a dryer where hot air dries the grain. The thoroughly dried spent grain is ground into powder form at the micrometer (㎛, 0.001 mm) scale, then packaged to become the final product.

Agrain is currently planning commercial-scale expansion through licensing its spent grain upcycling technology and processes. The CEO said, "If technology and equipment are complex, expansion can be slow, but the equipment we use can be purchased anywhere, and the technology can be utilized anywhere once licensed." She added, "I hope the day will come when someone asks ChatGPT about food upcycling, and the answer is Agrain."

Adding deep flavor with retired laying hens

Reduced chicken stock made from laying hens.

Located in Nordhavn, north of Copenhagen, Reduced was established in 2020 with the goal of reducing various ingredients and byproducts lost in the food supply chain and the massive food waste generated during consumption.

Reduced produces various broths and stock products using low-commercial-value livestock byproducts, vegetables, and fruits. Chicken stock made from laying hens is a representative product. Laying hens have tough meat and are generally unsuitable for consumption. When they stop laying eggs, they are mostly used as animal feed or discarded, amounting to 8 million kg annually in Denmark alone. Lorenzo Tirelli, head of R&D at Reduced, explained, "We roast and grind laying hens and ferment them to bring out flavor and make stock." He added, "Since producing 1 kg of chicken emits 8 kg of CO2, upcycling laying hens instead of discarding them helps better utilize precious natural resources."

Lorenzo Tirelli, Head of Reduced Research & Development (R&D), is explaining the production process.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

They also produce broth using coastal crabs. Along Denmark's coast, 12 billion crabs thrive, and their numbers are increasing annually. However, most of these are invasive species threatening fish and shellfish populations. Tirelli said, "Many of these crabs are caught during fishing, and since seafood classified as invasive species cannot be returned to the sea in Denmark, they are brought ashore and discarded." He explained, "We purchase these crabs, which have hard shells and little meat and are unwanted by anyone, at a low price of about 50 to 80 cents per kg and transform them into seafood-flavored broth."

Reduced mainly uses fermentation technology to produce its products. Tirelli, originally from Rome, Italy, said, "Before joining Reduced, I worked as a chef in restaurants and learned how to use fermentation. I was greatly inspired by Asian fermented foods such as kimchi, miso, shoyu, and amazake." He added, "Fermentation helps extend the shelf life of food and, above all, is an excellent method for creating flavor, making it effective in bringing out the umami of stock and broth products." When making the Japanese-style koji used as a fermenting agent, they also upcycle broken rice from the milling process.

Reduced also upcycles broken rice from the polishing process when making the fermenting agent (Japanese-style koji) used in the upcycling process.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

Tirelli emphasized, "Food upcycling is an old future already familiar around us. Just like making new soup from old bread, upcycling elements have already been integrated into cooking during my 10 years as a chef." CEO Riemann-Andersen also said, "My mother used to use every part of a chicken without wasting anything when she bought one. Upcycling is not something completely new but a return to the way we used to produce and prepare food in the past."

※ This project was supported by the Press Promotion Fund, funded by government advertising fees.