10 Jul 2020

Waste Not - from cow feed to high-value functional food

From Country Life, 9:14 pm on 10 July 2020
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Photo: RNZ/Carol Stiles

Te Mata Figs' Murray Douglas and Helen Walker were left with piles of fig waste once they'd made their fig molasses.

The waste was initially given to cows as a feed but, knowing that figs were packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, Murray and Helen looked for other uses for it.

They worked with Callaghan Innovation and now the fig pomice is dried, powdered and packaged and sold for $80 a kilogram.

Murray says people sprinkle it on cereal, pop it in smoothies and add it to baking to get a boost of nutrients and a good dose of fibre.

Country Life producer Carol Stiles gets the story.