Obtaining unsaturated and saturated fats from pork by-products for high-value applications

The SATURN project evaluates the technological feasibility of fractionating pig meat by-products to extract high-value fat fractions rich in unsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Using temperature-based separation, the process preserves molecular structures and targets applications in functional foods. The project focuses on fat recovery from trimmings such as soft fat (udders, lateral cuts), hard fat (haraguina, shoulder), and subcutaneous tissue. Key objectives include characterising fat profiles, assessing deodorisation needs, testing in food matrices, and evaluating industrial scalability. Funded by the EU and DACC, the project involves TRIPNET SL, INNOVACC CLUSTER, and other partners. It aims to develop optimised methods, defined fat profiles, and implementation guidelines for sustainable valorisation of pig by-products in the Barcelona, Gironès, Bages, and La Selva regions.