Kera Protein Ltd. is a UK-based startup that is using cutting-edge technology to turn chicken feathers from the poultry industry into fake meat.
In 2019, Sorawut Kittibanthorn, founder of Kera Protein, was a student at Central Saint Martins University. He noticed that chicken feathers contained a lot of keratin - the protein that makes up hair, skin and nails. Kittibanthorn thought that keratin could be converted into useful products.
Kera Protein now sources its feathers from a local farm. The feathers are then cleaned, ground into a powder, and mixed with acid and keratinase enzymes to break down the keratin’s strong chemical bonds. The mixture is heated at a moderate temperature for 14 hours, filtered, and cooled.
The final product is a collagen-like powder texture that outperforms conventional protein sources in both nutrition and flavor. According to the founder of Kera Protein, it also contains high levels of antioxidants similar to berries. Chicken feather foods have no distinctive flavor, so cooks can customize the taste and texture to their liking.
The final product is a collagen-like powder texture that outperforms conventional protein sources in both nutrition and taste.
Chicken feather protein could help solve at least one sustainability problem plaguing the food industry: excess waste. In the EU alone, up to 3 million tonnes of poultry feathers are wasted each year, often incinerated or dumped in landfill.
Kera’s most recent collaboration is with London-based Thai supper club Laam. The business, run by Nathan “Phayu” Brown and Patarita “KG” Tassanarapan, specialises in home-inspired local cuisine, showcasing the best of British produce using the authentic flavours of northern Thailand and reinventing them for a modern dining experience. They hosted a launch event, which included a six-course feast, to demonstrate the versatility of their feather protein product.
On the menu is the classic Thai laab dib tartare with fish sauce, salted quail eggs and crispy wontons. Raw beef salad replaces meat with Kera protein and smoky eggplant chili served with crispy Kera and seasonal side vegetables. Next up is Lao-style pho with chopped Kera tomato paste, spicy pickled mustard greens, crispy fried Cloud “chicken” rice as a palette cleanser. Finally, feather-infused coconut ice cream with salted egg sauce.
Lao style pho uses Kera meat made from chicken feathers
One of the biggest challenges is production costs – a common issue for alternative meats, including “lab-grown” options. The feathers undergo a 34-hour extraction process that is both time-consuming and financially taxing. The company currently works with just one farm, keeping production to a modest scale.
Kera is in the process of securing EU Novel Foods Certification so its products can be legally sold at scale. Kittibanthorn said the process could take years, although there are exemptions for certain sustainable innovations.
