When looking for ideas to recycle some kind of waste, Sorawut Kittibanthorn, then a university student in London, thought of the millions of tons of chicken feathers thrown away every year.
Thai inventor Sorawut Kittibanthorn checks chicken feathers at a slaughterhouse in Nakorn Pathom province, Thailand.
After returning to his native Thailand, the 30-year-old sought funding to continue the research he had been pursuing on how to convert the nutritional components in chicken feathers into a powder used to feed chickens. processed into a high-protein and edible food source. He said chicken feathers contain a lot of protein and we can take advantage of this nutrient, both saving and reducing waste.
According to data collected by Mr. Sorawut, each year in Europe, people throw away about 2.3 million tons of chicken feathers. And given the relatively high poultry consumption in Asia, he believes the amount of feathers that can be collected here is about 30% higher than in Europe.
Mr. Sorawut conducts research on chicken feathers in a laboratory in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mr. Sorawut studied and obtained a Master’s degree in London in the field of future materials. According to him, the topic that he pursues still needs further research and further development stages. However, some sample dishes he has tried, such as chicken meatballs and chicken steak, have received some positive reviews.
Professor Hathairat Rimkeeree in the field of food science from Kasesart University, Thailand, said he was surprised and delighted with the results of this study. He believes that protein extracted from chicken feathers has the potential to become an alternative food source in the future.
Mr. Sorawut presents dishes made from chicken feathers.
Vegetarian food is becoming more and more popular as more people switch to vegetarian and vegan diets. One of the reasons for this trend is that they are worried about the health risks of eating meat, and want to protect animals and the environment from the current massive expansion of livestock production.
Although dishes prepared with nutrients extracted from chicken feathers are not considered vegetarian, Mr. Sorawat believes that these dishes should be considered as humane meals. He said: “I plan to reach out first to zero-waste restaurants because even though these dishes are made from poultry waste, they are still a by-product of the animals we consume. “.