Companies in Upper Austria are pioneering when it comes to processing sunflower seeds. Cooking oil manufacturer VFI is building a kernel peeling plant in Ennsdorf. Bakers and cosmetics manufacturers want to use the leftovers from the press.
The edible oil manufacturer VFI from Wels, known for brands such as Bona and Kronenöl, is building a peeling installation for organic sunflower seeds at the oil mill in Ennsdorf. “The tastiest grains are then no longer pressed, but packed in bags and sent to organic bakers,” says boss Florian Rauch.
The edible oil industry is already trying to extract more than just oil from sunflower seeds. And not only that: because the food cluster of the Business Upper Austria branch office supports a project with the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences in Wels, which is about exploring new possibilities for the remains of the oil press.
The goal: Proteins from the sunflower oil presscake, which are currently used for animal feed, should be extracted and used in a higher quality. The hub of the project called SUN is the Raab oil mill in Fraham, where about 100 tons of sunflower oil presscake are produced annually.
Bakers and manufacturers of natural cosmetics see opportunities
The proteins must now be extracted here using special processes, which in turn must form the basis for foodstuffs and cosmetic products. For example, baker Reinhard Thurner from Schwertberg sees an opportunity to increase the protein content of his baked goods. Natural cosmetics manufacturer Velvety from Neuhofen an der Krems sees benefits in skin friendliness.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
