Scientists develop egg shell waste processing system to produce pharma ingredients
Extracts collagen and hyaluronic acid from waste eggshell membranes
A European Union (EU)-funded research project is developing a system where collagen and hyaluronic acid used in pharmaceutical ingredients can be extracted efficiently from waste eggshell membranes.
The €1.5m Shellbrane project has developed a prototype able to process 100kg of eggshells per hour, breaking them into regularly sized 1cm2 fragments, separating shells from the egg membrane and cleansing them of bacteria.
Shellbrane uses a 'turbulent flow to detach the membrane from the mineral shell', explained Albert Monferrer, from project partner BDN, Spain. This technology is established, but Shellbrane’s innovation has enabled users to break the shells into fragments of a size that allows them to be separated from the membrane.
'As the shell and the membrane differ in weight, a combination of cyclone and decanter can then be used to separate both materials. The membrane is then dried using cold air,' said the European Commission.
Enrico Imperi, of project partner Labor, of Italy, added: 'When you break the egg, dirt from the outside comes in contact with it.' To kill bacteria without harming the membrane, Shellbrane uses ultraviolet rays, which penetrate any membrane bacteria, altering their DNA, so that they can no longer reproduce.
'This method ensures the membrane’s properties are preserved,' said the Commission. 'We have proved the concept, the next step is to improve the machine and its capacity. We would also like to make it more automated,' added project coordinator Melinda Kozák, from Hungary’s Ateknea Solutions.
Project partners hope to sell their technology within three to four years.
