From waste to resource: meat industry by-products get new life

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 07. 14. 11:02

By-products from meat processing were long treated as waste, but today they are becoming a valuable raw material in more and more areas – be it animal feed, energy production or even the cosmetics industry. Thanks to proper processing and strict regulation, these materials have become important building blocks of the circular economy – Agrárszektor says.

Protein in feed

Meat by-products include blood, bone, fat, skin, offal and other parts not primarily intended for human consumption. These are used to make meat meal, blood meal, bone meal or greaves, which are mainly used as a protein-rich supplement in animal feed – poultry, pigs. Dairy by-products such as whey or buttermilk are also ideal for feeding young animals.

Their use for feed purposes is strictly regulated, especially to prevent the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Biogas: turning organic waste into energy

Another promising area of use for meat and dairy by-products is energy. Their decomposition under anaerobic (oxygen-free) conditions produces methane-rich biogas, which can be used for heating, electricity generation, and even fed into the natural gas grid in the form of biomethane. In addition to slaughterhouse waste – such as blood, fats, stomach contents – expired dairy products, kitchen scraps, and slurry are also excellent raw materials.

Biogas production also has environmental benefits: methane emissions from manure storage facilities are reduced, less unpleasant odors are produced, and the remaining bio-fertilizer is more homogeneous and easier to use in agriculture than its untreated version.

Collagen, gelatin, and other industrial raw materials

Meat by-products are also important players in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. Gelatin, obtained from bones and skin, is an ingredient in jams, sweets, and cake jellies, but it is also used as a raw material for capsules and creams. Collagen, keratin, and other animal proteins are valuable components of the beauty industry. In addition, lubricants and soaps are also made from technical fats.