Brussels, 11/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has announced that a research project co-funded by the European Union (1.16 million euro of a total cost of 3.86 million) has allowed for a protein to be extracted from alfalfa with the same nutritive value as cows' milk and higher than that of soya. This protein is extracted from alfalfa leaves; the extraction technology mainly belongs to the Swedish firm Alfa-Laval. The protein, that contains nine main amino acids is called Rubisco.
This protein may in particular be used in animal feed as well as an ingredient for sauces and chocolate mousses, and other products intended for human consumption. It could also be used by the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
This discovery could enable the EU to reduce its soya imports, which are currently sizeable, notably from Brazil, Argentina and the United States.
The variety of Lucerne, called alfalfa is produced extensively in Europe, notably in France, Italy, Spain and Germany. Its growth requires not fertilizer and very little herbicide. In the medium-term, the company 'France Luzerne", also involved in the project, could produce some 1,200 tonnes of Rubisco a year, at a cost approaching that of soya.
In the framework of the common agricultural policy, the European Community actively supports the production of alfalfa, so as to render it competitive with imported soya for animal feed. The current subsidies correspond to 40% of the revenue of producers. The results of this research project should enable producers' revenue to be increased and thus reduce their dependence on subsidies.