Sustainable approaches to chicken feather extraction for environmental conservation

Abstract

Chicken is one of the most consumed meats worldwide, significantly impacting global food production. The sector produces a large quantity of chicken meat, generating substantial byproducts, including feathers. Chicken feathers are left over as waste after processing chickens for meat. As per statistical report more than 4 billion tons of chicken feathers are wasted annually worldwide. Though traditionally considered waste materials; feathers can be innovatively repurposed to reduce environmental pollution. The feathers of a chicken are mainly made up of keratin, a light and tough protein that can be used for various purposes. The present research was undertaken to extract chicken feather fiber, which holds promise in mitigating environmental pollution and promote sustainability in various sectors.