Fieldays spokesperson Taryn Storey joins Ryan Bridge on Herald NOW to take the pulse of the rural sector as the iconic agricultural event kicks off. Video / Herald NOW
By Monique Steele of RNZ
A Christchurch biotechnology start-up is using sheepskins diverted from waste to create a world-first collagen powder for the booming health and wellness market.
The company, Tertiary Extracts Ōtautahi, extracted protein from sheepskin to create its branded bioactive protein Ovitage that was then processed into acollagen powder and marketed in various health products.
The company was up for an early-stage innovation award at this week’s Fieldays event in Waikato against more than 30 others.
Founder and chief science officer Dr Rob Kelly said the company developed the technology to isolate and extract valuable protein ingredients from the sheepskin and make it into the unique collagen powder.
“The composition of our signature protein, which is ovitage collagen, is quite different to any collagen that’s been made before,” Kelly said.
“The amino acid profile is really quite different.
“People haven’t seen this before, and the particular amino acids present leads to significant health benefits in areas that are in particular demand in New Zealand and overseas as well.”
Kelly, no stranger to research and development within the sheep sector, had links to the Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand (WRONZ), Keratec and Keraplast Technologies.
He said Tertiary Extracts Ōtautahi sourced the sheepskin material from producers who only used sheep from New Zealand.
“We have an abundance of sheepskin materials; between 6-7 million sheepskins are produced each year, and they currently don’t have good uses,” Kelly said.
He said most skins were by-products of the red meat sector that were low value and cost producers to dispose of.
“Sheepskin is an issue for the sector as a whole, and so we’re really trying to present a whole-of-industry solution,” he said.
Tertiary Extracts Ōtautahi's head of research and development, Dr Alisa Roddick Lanzilotta and chief scientist officer Dr Rob Kelly are behind the process to extract valuable proteins from sheepskin to create a collagen powder. Photo / Tertiary Extracts Ōtautahi
Kelly said its Ovitage product targeted the health and wellness segment domestically in New Zealand and via export into the United States.
He said bovine and marine made up the bulk of the $15 billion global market for collagen, and demand was continuing to grow.
“We’ve put a lot of investment and science and research into the novel process that we’ve developed, and we’re really excited by the market opportunities and the export opportunities,” Kelly said.
Tertiary Extracts Ōtautahi will be in the Innovation Hub at Mystery Creek this week - ahead of the Innovation Awards ceremony on Thursday, and its product Everee Women could also be found in the health and wellbeing hub.
On Friday, Kelly will also feature in the event’s Tent Talks, on New Zealand’s ability to turn scientific breakthroughs into globally competitive export businesses.
