A FINNISH startup has developed technology that uses the bones of chickens to produce a supplement to enhance the nutrition of poultry products like chicken nuggets or meatballs.

SuperGround has developed an extrusion process that it says can allow the processing and use of poultry bones safely and in a non-visible way for human consumption.

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The company envisages that the product, which is high in calcium, will be added to processed poultry products, utilising more of the carcass and improving the end product’s nutritional profile.

It says up to 30% more poultry-based foods can be derived from a single chicken when compared with existing methods.

Tuomas Koskinen, SuperGround chairman, said: “Food production companies are trying to achieve cost control and efficiency, while customer demand and more strict regulations put increasing pressure on companies to achieve ambitious sustainability goals.

‘Sustainable choices’

“Our food production line technology enables the food industry to instantly produce well-known poultry-based foods more efficiently and sustainably, without major investment or an increase in production costs.

“This, therefore, makes it easier for consumers to make more sustainable daily food choices without the need to change their dietary habits or spend more on sustainable alternatives.”

SuperGround has previously raised seed funding from angel investors for R&D purposes but says its food production line technology is now “fully ready and proven to work”.