A novel chemical–biochemical process technology for full exploitation of chicken fat for animal nutrition

Chicken fat, a source of unsaturated fatty acid, is obtained from cooked poultry by‐products. A fat molecule consists of a glycerol and three fatty acids. This work aimed to introduce a novel chemical–biochemical process technology for full exploitation of chicken fat building blocks, that is, conversion of fatty acids to fatty acid calcium salts (FACSs) and utilization of glycerol for cultivation of microalgae (Dunaliella salina). FACSs are fed to cows as rumen‐protected fat. Response surface methodology was used for optimization of calcium salt production in pilot scale reactor. A pilot‐scale helical photobioreactor was used for cultivation of D. salina. The results pointed out that from each 1,000 g of chicken fat, approximately 840 g of FACS and approximately 39 g of D. salina powder can be obtained. The proposed process technology is a potentially economic alternative for current commercial FACS production processes where glycerol in their waste is not exploited.