Insights | 4D World

20 Articles

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Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

FMD-Free Without Vaccination: Brazil's Offal Opening

Key Takeaways ▸ On June 8, 2026, China recognized all of Brazil as FMD-free without vaccination. ▸ Rio Grande do Sul (8 plants) and Mato Grosso (1) joined Santa Catarina (7) — 16 authorized plants. ▸ ...

Brazil China Rendering Trade Policy

Aug 12, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

America is keeping its heifers. Brazil ships the difference.

Market Pulse Monday 10 August 2026 Key Takeaways USDA counted 28.5 million US beef cows on 1 July 2026 the smallest July figure on record. The 2026 calf crop, 32.5 million head, is the ninth consecuti...

Food Prices & Markets Rendering United States

Aug 10, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

China opens to Brazilian bovine gallstones

Key Takeaways ▸ China signed a protocol opening its market to Brazilian bovine gallstones. ▸ Gallstones are the raw material behind niu huang, prized in Chinese medicine. ▸ Only a small fraction of ca...

China Pharma Rendering Trade Policy

Jul 30, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

The 90-Cent Pound: How Biofuel Turned Tallow Into America's Most Wanted Fat

Key Takeaways ▸ Beef tallow prices have climbed toward a record near 90 cents per pound. ▸ Renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel demand is driving tallow's price surge. ▸ Tallow is a rendered...

Prices & Markets Rendering United States

Jul 25, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

Gelatin: the invisible ingredient in almost everything

Key Takeaways ▸ Gelatin is collagen partly broken down and purified into a protein. ▸ It gels when cool and melts when warm, a reversible, versatile trick. ▸ Gelatin makes up roughly 66.4% of the coll...

Food Pharma Prices & Markets Rendering

Jul 16, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

The Cycle-2 advantage: sourcing wide with a DCPOA backstop

Key Takeaways ▸ A Cycle-2 beneficiador is the certified, SIF-listed plant anchoring the paperwork. ▸ The plant sources conforming raw material from qualified, documented suppliers. ▸ A DCPOA documents...

Nutre Meat Regulation Rendering

Jul 11, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

Glucosamine and the joint-health boom

Key Takeaways ▸ Glucosamine is an amino sugar the body uses to build and maintain cartilage. ▸ The classic source is shellfish shells, which carry a shellfish-allergen flag. ▸ Bovine cartilage and con...

Pharma Prices & Markets Rendering

Jul 9, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

MDM: the cheapest protein that feeds millions

Key Takeaways ▸ MDM is a finely textured protein paste recovered from poultry backs and necks. ▸ High pressure forces the meat-and-bone mix through a fine screen, leaving bone behind. ▸ Processors ble...

Food Rendering Southeast Asia

Jul 2, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

The circular protein economy: nothing wasted

Key Takeaways ▸ US renderers collect roughly 56 billion pounds of raw material a year. ▸ They convert it into about 22 billion pounds of fats and proteins. ▸ US rendering is roughly a $10 billion a ye...

Food Rendering Sustainability

Jun 28, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

From carcass to container: the rendering process

Key Takeaways ▸ Rendering turns material no one will eat into two tradable products: fat and meal. ▸ Raw material is graded and kept separate by category; CAT 3 never mixes down. ▸ Cooking drives off ...

Rendering Sustainability

Jun 27, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

Reading the rendering giant

Key Takeaways ▸ Darling Ingredients posted Q1 2026 net income of $134.3 million. ▸ That reversed a $26.2 million loss a year earlier, on $1.6 billion of sales. ▸ Combined adjusted EBITDA reached $406....

Prices & Markets Rendering United States

Jun 25, 2026

Raphael Carmo · Managing Partner, 4D World

Blood, plasma & the protein you never see

Key Takeaways ▸ Slaughterhouse blood yields two products: spray-dried plasma and blood meal. ▸ Plasma is the premium fraction, valued for its bioactive proteins. ▸ Blood meal is a dense, high-lysine p...

Pet Food Prices & Markets Rendering

Jun 18, 2026

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