Climate


Creating Sustainable Products from Food Grade Bones

Soac Vuren, Netherlands — Darling Ingredients International


Sonac Vuren in the Netherlands, part of Darling Ingredients International, processes food grade bones to create high value products with a range of applications. The facility operates a bone degreasing line, similar to rendering, and a protein extraction line, similar to a gelatine process.

Raw Materials

Food grade raw materials are sourced from bones as a by-product from the meat industry. All raw materials are from healthy animals, approved ante and post-mortem and fit for human consumption.

Pre-Treatment Process

In the pre-treatment or bone degreasing stage, the raw materials are washed and chopped. The bone chips are then cooked to separate the meat proteins and fat from the bones into water.

Production Lines & Outputs

Bone Degreasing Line

Bone chips, Meat meal, Fat, Stick water / powder (Gelko)

Protein Extraction Line

Bone collagen, Bone ash, Hydroxyapatite (Collaphos)

Further Processing

Collagen hydrolysate (Hydro P Premium), Multiple downstream applications, All from food grade porcine bones

Figure 1: Products and Their Applications

The primary applications span food, animal feed and petfood, energy, fertiliser, and technical uses such as bone china ceramics, nonferrous foundries, and other industrial applications.

Figure 2: Technical and Industrial Applications

Proteins — Industrial Uses

  • Adhesives, Paper industry, Copper electrolysis, Rubber rollers, Leather, Ammunition & matches, Plaster binding & retardant agent, Adhesive foaming agent in wood and concrete industry

Minerals — Industrial Uses

  • Non-ferrous foundries — mould protector and releasing agent, Filler (paint and tiles), Bone china ceramics


Next: Case Study 16