Romania has a significant volume of raw materials of animal origin, but a substantial share of the economic value associated with them is created outside the country. Trade data show a consistent dependence on imports of gelatin and derivatives, while Romanian exports in the same category are much smaller. The question is whether Romania can move from the valorization of raw materials to the production of value-added ingredients.

Collagen does not begin in a cosmetics laboratory or a supplement factory. In many cases, it begins at the slaughterhouse.

Skin, bones, and other tissues resulting from animal processing can serve as raw materials for the production of gelatin and collagen, under the strict safety and traceability requirements laid down by European legislation. The European regulation on animal by-products explicitly states that such materials arise in particular from the slaughter of animals for human consumption and establishes the framework for their use under controlled conditions.

Romania has the raw material

The size of the livestock sector provides an important economic argument. In 2024, Romania had one of the largest sheep populations in the European Union, accounting for 18.5% of the EU’s sheep population, according to Eurostat. Romania was therefore second in the Union in terms of the number of sheep.

At European level, the issue of valorizing by-products is far from marginal. The European Commission estimates that more than 20 million tonnes of animal by-products are generated annually in the EU from slaughterhouses, food processing facilities, dairies, and other sources. The institution emphasizes that these materials have both nutritional and energy value and that their efficient use can contribute to resource conservation.

The difference can be seen in trade

Trade data for 2024 provide a relevant indication of Romania’s position.

Under HS customs code 350300, which includes gelatin and its derivatives, isinglass, and other glues of animal origin, Romania imported products worth approximately $29.16 million, representing around 3,542 tonnes.

In the same category, Romania’s exports amounted to only $744,000, for approximately 154 tonnes.

This means that, in this trade category, the value of imports was almost 39 times higher than the value of exports.

Romania’s main suppliers in 2024 were Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. Imports from Germany alone exceeded $15 million, according to UN Comtrade data presented by the World Bank through WITS.

The figures must be interpreted carefully: the customs category does not exclusively represent food-grade collagen or collagen peptides. It is broader. But the trade gap is large enough to raise a legitimate question about Romania’s capacity to transform animal by-products into value-added industrial ingredients.

Where does the chain break down?

The answer does not lie solely in the existence of raw materials.

The production of collagen and gelatin requires separate collection, traceability, processing infrastructure, treatment and purification of the raw material, microbiological control, standardization, and technological investment. In addition, European legislation establishes specific requirements for the raw materials and facilities producing gelatin and collagen. The European Commission also maintains specific lists of authorized establishments in the sector.

This is where the difference emerges between an industry that valorizes raw materials and one that exports raw materials and subsequently purchases the processed ingredient.

For Romania, the opportunity is not limited to food supplements. Collagen and its derivatives can enter industrial value chains in the food, pharmaceutical, medical, and cosmetics industries, depending on the characteristics of the product and the applicable regulations. The European Commission mentions, for example, uses of animal-derived collagen in medical applications as well.

The next step: from slaughterhouse to ingredient

Romania has significant livestock populations and a slaughtering and processing industry that continuously generates by-products. At the same time, the trade balance for the gelatin and derivatives category shows a strong dependence on external suppliers.

Therefore, the question for the Romanian industry is not whether raw materials exist. They do.

The question is whether there is sufficient capital, technology, infrastructure, and integration between slaughterhouses, processors, and ingredient manufacturers for these raw materials to be transformed into value-added products in Romania.

In a food industry where pressure on costs is increasing, making use of every component of the animal can become more than a circular economy solution. It can become a new business line for Romania’s meat industry.

And the difference between one kilogram of raw material and one kilogram of a specialized ingredient may ultimately be the difference between an economy that supplies resources and one that retains value within its own industrial chain.