When Sorawut Kittibanthorn was looking for new types of waste to recycle, the then London-based student was drawn to the millions of tonnes of chicken feathers being discarded each year.
Now back home in Thailand, the 30-year-old is seeking funding to continue his research into how to convert the nutrient component found in the feathers into a powder that can be transformed into a lean, protein-rich source of edible food.
“Chicken feather contains protein and if we are able to serve this protein to others in the world, the demand from everyone ... will help reduce waste,” Sorawut said.
Photo: Reuters
Indeed, the potential appears huge, given that Sorawut reckons that about 2.3 million tonnes of feathers are being dumped in Europe alone each year.
With generally higher poultry consumption in Asia, he believes that there could be up to 30 percent more feather waste that could be exploited in the region.
Sorawut, who studied for a master’s degree in material futures in London, said that the idea still needs to go through other research and development phases.
Prototypes including his take on chicken nuggets and a steak substitute have received positive reviews from some.
“You know the texture is very complex and advanced. It’s something you wouldn’t imagine that chicken feathers will be able to improvise into this kind of dish,” food blogger Cholrapee Asvinvichit said after tucking into the steak served with gravy, mashed potatoes and a salad. “I really could imagine this [being served] to me in some like, Michelin star [restaurant], or some fine dining experience.”
Hathairat Rimkeeree, a food sciences professor at Kasesart University, was also pleasantly surprised by the results.
“I think it does have the potential to become an alternative food source in the future,” Hathairat said.
Plant-based substitutes for meat have been gaining popularity as more people shift toward vegan or vegetarian diets, amid growing concerns about health risks from eating meat, animal welfare and the environmental hazards of intensive animal farming.
While feather-based foods could not be categorized as vegan or vegetarian, Sorawut feels that they should be considered ethical dining.
“I plan to approach the zero-waste restaurants first because even though these dishes are made from poultry waste, it is still a by-product from animals we normally consume,” he said.
Yemen’s separatist leader has vowed to keep working for an independent state in the country’s south, in his first social media post since he disappeared earlier this month after his group briefly seized swathes of territory. Aidarous al-Zubaidi’s United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces last month captured two Yemeni provinces in an offensive that was rolled back by Saudi strikes and Riyadh’s allied forces on the ground. Al-Zubaidi then disappeared after he failed to board a flight to Riyadh for talks earlier this month, with Saudi Arabia accusing him of fleeing to Abu Dhabi, while supporters insisted he was
The Chinese Embassy in Manila yesterday said it has filed a diplomatic protest against a Philippine Coast Guard spokesman over a social media post that included cartoonish images of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela and an embassy official had been trading barbs since last week over issues concerning the disputed South China Sea. The crucial waterway, which Beijing claims historic rights to despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis, has been the site of repeated clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels. Tarriela’s Facebook post on Wednesday included a photo of him giving a
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday announced a deal with the chief of Kurdish-led forces that includes a ceasefire, after government troops advanced across Kurdish-held areas of the country’s north and east. Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi said he had agreed to the deal to avoid a broader war. He made the decision after deadly clashes in the Syrian city of Raqa on Sunday between Kurdish-led forces and local fighters loyal to Damascus, and fighting this month between the Kurds and government forces. The agreement would also see the Kurdish administration and forces integrate into the state after months of stalled negotiations on
‘MOBILIZED’: While protesters countered ICE agents, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the state’s National Guard to ‘support the rights of Minnesotans’ to assemble Hundreds of counterprotesters drowned out a far-right activist’s attempt to hold a small rally in support of US President Donald Trump’s latest immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday, as the governor’s office announced that National Guard troops were mobilized and ready to assist law enforcement, although not yet deployed to city streets. There have been protests every day since the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ramped up immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul by bringing in more than 2,000 federal officers. Conservative influencer Jake Lang organized an anti-Islam, anti-Somali and pro-US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
RSS