Soy pulp has a very high nutritional value and fiber content; however, there are still challenges to be resolved for its recycling. To address these issues, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has promoted the gradual establishment of an ecosystem with the Taoyuan City Tofu Business Association, aiming to create a diversified application market and open up recycling business opportunities.
Taiwan's annual output of soy pulp is about 420,000 metric tons. Although the technology for applying soy pulp has been developed for many years, it has still not been effectively recycled due to problems such as high costs, perishability, and scattered production areas. With its high nutritional value and fiber content, soy pulp is a superb recyclable by-product with many application fields.
Establishing an Ecosystem for a Mutually Beneficial and Symbiotic Environment
The ITRI Central Region Campus has collaborated with the Taoyuan City Tofu Business Association and worked closely with businesses willing to promote the circular economy. Together, they aim to gradually build a circular economy ecosystem for soy pulp and create high value-added by-products. Unlike in the past, where businesses mostly worked alone or only had upstream and downstream relationships in the supply chain, this ecosystem focuses on cross-industry cooperation and links with the consumer market, hoping to create a mutually beneficial and symbiotic environment. ITRI plans to kickstart the ecosystem with the pet market (such as cat litter products), expand it, connect export businesses and consumer feedback, enter the crossborder feed market, develop multiple application technologies for soy pulp, and gradually build cooperation opportunities for a circular soy product ecosystem to develop towards a high value-added product market.
Addressing Obstacles and Finding Solutions to Create a Communication Language for the Ecosystem
However, there are still some problems to be overcome in the value-added recycling of soy pulp, including high drying costs, unclear market demand, high transportation costs, and low economic value of products, resulting in low investment willingness among industry players. To formulate promotion strategies, a systematic thinking method has been adopted to sort out feasible procedures, challenges, and their solutions. This approach helps businesses in the ecosystem understand their roles and niches, establish a consistent communication language, and aim to create a mutually beneficial ecosystem.
Benefits
- Transformed soy pulp into commodities with economic value while solving environmental problems.
- The price of raw materials is increasing day by day, raising the cost of animal feed. Soy pulp can be used as an alternative raw material, with an excellent performance and price competitiveness.
- Soy processed foods are widely used in the world, and products created with high-value adding technology can be expanded to the world.