Dutch clues to getting the best out of beet

Protein extraction

Sugar beet leaves are usually mulched back into the soil during harvest, or occasionally used for animal feed, but Royal Cosun has been collecting and processing leaves to extract the protein within them.

Mr de Lugt said: “This protein has excellent gelation properties and can be used in foods as an alternative to animal proteins, and extract more value for the grower.”

With climate change an ever-increasing concern for society, he said sugar beet was an excellent crop for reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and was more effective than sugar cane.

“This is because sugar beet requires less land and considerably less water for its production because of the irrigation necessary for cane production,” he said.

Michael Sly, chairman of the NFU sugar board, added: “The circular economy concept where the sector produces biogas and digestate, which could then be used to help improve soil health on farms, and vegetable-based protein from leaves are exciting things for the UK industry to look at.”