Chocolate made from wood sawdust, salmon alternatives made from peas··· Estonian agriculture has chosen ‘technology and high added value’ - 경향신문

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Cosmetics and chocolate made with fat extracted using the technology of Estonian startup ‘AIO’. Kim Kyung-min

On the 14th, at the lab of the startup ‘ÄIO’ located at Tallinn University of Technology (Taltech) in Estonia. The chocolate the researchers brought out had the unmistakably soft mouthfeel and the sweet yet bitter taste of ordinary chocolate. The main ingredient of this seemingly ordinary chocolate is wood sawdust. They broke down the sawdust to obtain sugars, fermented them with a specific yeast, and made it into fat that was extracted. With the ‘fermented fat (FERM-OIL)’ technology, it replaces palm oil used in processed foods.

Mari-Liis Kuit, Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) of ÄIO, said, “Even if it is not wood, as long as it contains carbon, it can serve as a raw material for fat,” and added, “By turning by-products into high value, we can avoid relying on supply chains and the climate, while also strengthening food security.”

Although Estonia, a Nordic country, faces challenges in its agri-food industry similar to those of Koreasuch as high dependence on imported raw materials, price competition with neighboring countries, and food securityits solutions are markedly different. It raises the value of limited food resources through technology and substitutes imported inputs with advanced food tech. The Kyunghyang Shinmun examined these strategies by visiting Estonian food companies and food-tech sites from the 14th to the 17th.

Patties made using alternative proteins from TFTAK. On the left is a meat patty made from edible fungi, in the middle is salmon made from peas, and on the right is a hybrid chicken made by blending fava beans with chicken .Courtesy of TFTAK

Located on the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe, Estonia is a small country with an area 45% that of South Korea and a population comparable to the city of Suwon. Despite its renowned pristine environmentwith one out of every four farms certified organicits limited production base means many foods and raw materials are imported. Sharing a border with Russia also heightens concerns about food security.

To overcome these constraints, Estonia is investing in food tech that turns agri-food and forestry by-products or crops into new food ingredients.

On the 17th of last month, Dr. Sirli Rosenvald, head of research and development at the food R&D company ‘TFTAK’, presented a salmon alternative. The institute was developing alternative proteins from crops and edible fungi.

The salmon alternative made by TFTAK showed little difference from salmon steak in its characteristic aroma, taste, and texture. The raw material is peas. Protein is extracted from peas, extruded at high temperature and pressure to create structure, and layered to reproduce the texture of salmon. Nutrients such as omega-3 are also the same.

The target consumer price is 12.5 euros per kilogram (approximately 19,300 KRW), about 40% cheaper than retail salmon fillets at around 20 euros. They are also developing alternative meats made by fermenting and cultivating edible fungi, as well as ‘hybrid alternative meat’ that mixes alternative meat with real meat.

Behind Estonian companies turning to food tech lies supply-chain instability. Since the Russia-Ukraine war, production costs such as energy and feed have risen, and local meat prices in Estonia have increased rapidly. Because alternative proteins are made from locally sourced ingredients such as oats, they can maintain steady production and prices regardless of the broader supply chain.

Rosenvald said, “If ports are closed or the supply chain is disrupted, meat production itself can be affected,” adding, “If we only start looking for alternatives after the price of meat climbs to 30 euros per kilogram, it will be too late.”

The ability to respond to climate change is another advantage. Mari-Liis Kuit, CIO of ÄIO, said, “Conventional fat production requires substantial farmland and water and is exposed to climate change,” and continued, “Fermentation is less dependent on seasons, weather, and geography, and it can also reduce pressures on farmland and water resources.”

The government also supports the growth of food tech. The Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) funds joint technology development between companies and universities or research institutes, and it is providing 1.94 million euros through an applied research program for the work of ÄIO and TFTAK.

Mari-Liis Kuipar, a director at EIS, said, “The government supports collaboration between companies and universities through financial assistance, enabling the development of new technologies and products.”

On the 14th, Minister of Regional Agriculture Hendrik Johannes Terras is being interviewed by the Kyunghyang Shinmun. Kim Kyung-min

In agriculture as well, technology is used to cut costs and raise productivity. Hendrik Johannes Terras, Minister of Regional Agriculture, said, “Estonia has a high level of digitalization and is actively using ‘precision agriculture’ with the goal of reducing the amount of resources投入 into farming.”

By analyzing farmland data, instead of spreading fertilizer across entire fields, inputs are applied only where needed, reducing the use of costly nitrogen fertilizers. The country is also actively expanding biogas plants that produce biogas from livestock manure, with the remaining by-products used as fertilizer.

he strategy of mainstream food companies is also shifting toward ‘high added value’.

The food company Salvest focuses on high value-added products such as organic baby foods featuring Estonian agricultural produce and health smoothies for adults. While improving the quality of raw ingredients, it differentiates itself by offering composite baby foods that combine multiple ingredients, unlike standard products, and by giving its smoothies distinctive textures and ingredients that set them apart from conventional offerings.

Janus Al, CEO of Salvest, said, “We do not aim to compete with Spanish companies that mass-produce and sell at low prices,” adding, “What matters is making organic products that are distinctive.”

Director Kuipar said, “Because Estonia is such a small country, competing on production volume or the lowest price is virtually impossible,” and continued, “The competitive path available is ultimately to concentrate on specialized premium products.”