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Creating a new usage from processing co-products

Technology
Fund I: TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY

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PROJECT TIMELINE
February 2020 to December 2021
PROJECT STATUS
Fund I: Complete
TOTAL INVESTMENT
$2,331,799

Consortia Contribution
$955,212

Cluster Contribution
$1,376,587

PARTNERS

Lucent BioSciences

AGT Foods and Ingredients

Goal

To create a novel approach to improving the value of fibrous co-products from the pulse processing industry by transforming them into an organic micronutrient fertilizer.

Project Summary

Using their propriety process, Lucent is adding value to the hulls of pea and lentil seeds co-products from AGT's value-added processing to produce a novel, non-toxic, carbon-neutral micronutrient fertilizer called "Soileos."

This project will enable Lucent BioSciences to produce pilot-scale quantities of Soileos as a granular fertilizer and as seed coating using lentil and pea fiber supplied by AGT Foods and Ingredients.

Results and Impact

  • The partners created Soileos at pilot scale quantities after research and successful field trials, which has led to Lucent and AGT's second collaboration: the commercialization of Soileos.
  • Soileos can be applied in broad-acre agriculture, horticulture and in home and garden markets.
  • Creation of a micronutrient fertilizer that improves crop yields—creating economic and food security benefits.
  • The partners moved what was considered waste from processing into a value-added product—full seed utilization.
  • This project addressed micronutrient deficiency (Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, and Boron—resulting in sub-optimal crop growth, yield and nutritional quality), which impacts billions of people around the world.

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