January 22, 2024

 

Property operator enlists malls in Singapore to utilise food waste for making aquafeed

 

A major project in Singapore aims to turn food waste into substrates used for producing microbial protein -- which will finally be supplied to feed formulation companies to be converted into aquafeed.

 

This initiative is part of a partnership signed between retail and office operator Frasers Property Singapore and food security solution provider Life Lab Resources (LLR). The partnership is a significant step towards implementing a circular economy involving food waste within Frasers' retail ecosystem in the country.

 

The collaboration built on the successful food waste upcycling pilot at a local mall that fully integrates tenants into a holistic food waste segregation programme.

 

In light of this development, Frasers Property Singapore announced the roll-out of the WasteMaster food waste valorisation system to five of its malls. There will also be potential upscaling to other Frasers malls in 2025.

 

The onsite food waste treatment plant developed by Green Eco Technologies and operated by LLR converts food waste into nutrient-rich substrates using reactive oxygen technology.

 

LLR is also setting up a bio-refinery plant in the first quarter of 2024 to treat and transform the substrates into high-quality microbial protein with all essential amino acids. This protein has the potential to be supplied to feed formulation companies to be used for making aquaculture feed. Thus, the process helps reduce the need for new natural resources to produce food, providing a sustainable avenue to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Initially, over 27 tonnes of food waste had been collected during the pilot which started on January 2023. More F&B tenants have since joined the programme, resulting in the collection of over 52 tonnes of food waste in the past year.

 

The valorisation system was able to reduce the net weight of food waste by up to 80% while retaining its nutritional value, eliminating harmful pathogens and creating safe, nutrient-rich substrates.

 

The substrates have also been tested by an independent third-party laboratory for safety and efficacy. An E. coli and Salmonella spike test was previously conducted to empirically prove that the WasteMaster reactive oxygen technology eliminates pathogens. Furthermore, a separate laboratory test proved the retention of nutrients.

 

The substrates were then processed via fermentation to cultivate microbial protein. As part of a bench trial test, the substrate's protein content rose from 17% to 44% following fermentation, with the potential to increase further in the next phase of commercialisation.

 

On an annual basis, the food waste valorisation programme at five of Frasers' malls is expected to reduce up to 2,200 tonnes of food waste and save up to 660 tonnes of CO2 emissions. In the event that the programme is extended to other malls, it is expected to cut down about 4,700 tonnes of food waste and up to 1,600 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

 

A memorandum of understanding on the Frasers-LLR partnership to launch the valorisation system was inked on January 15.

 

Soon Su Lin, chief executive officer of Frasers Property Singapore, said: "As a major real estate player, Frasers Property's vision and efforts are aligned with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 to push for a more sustainable environment. Achieving our net-zero carbon goal will require strong collaborative efforts with every stakeholder in the real estate ecosystem.

 

"Partnering with like-minded organisations such as Life Lab Resources with Green Eco Technologies as the technology provider enables us to drive sustainability and social impact through technology and champion environmentally friendly behaviours. With the successful pilot at our Causeway Point mall, we look forward to the support and participation of more tenants in this food waste management programme across our malls. We also welcome collaborative opportunities to testbed innovative solutions to help build a greener and more liveable Singapore."

 

Edward Chia, managing director of Life Lab Resources, said: "This collaboration is symbolic of the ingenuity required to tackle sustainability and climate challenges head-on. We are thrilled to partner with Frasers Property on this sustainable innovation that aligns with Singapore's Zero Waste Masterplan and supports the narrative on enhancing food security, turning vision into action.

 

"With the strong support of Frasers Property, we are able to scale up a bio-refinery plant to undertake the process of converting the extracted proteins into fish feed for commercial purposes, seamlessly integrating waste upcycling into the food production ecosystem."

 

- Frasers Property