May 11, 2021

Finnish startup to test novel ingredient at Skretting Aquaculture Research Centre

Skretting is one step closer to validating a new novel ingredient and reaching its Sustainability RoadMap 2025 ambition, the company said.

As part of the roadmap launched earlier this year, Skretting has committed to an inclusion of 5-10% ingredients from alternative novel sources by 2025.

eniferBio, the Finnish biotech startup and winner of the 2020 Nutreco Feed & Food Tech Challenge, has announced on May 6 the successful completion of process piloting trials and the beginning of the next phase - the testing of its Pekilo mycoprotein at its R&D facilities based in Skretting Aquaculture Research Centre (ARC) in Norway.

"We have been working closely with the eniferBio team to support them and help speed up the process to receive a commercially relevant novel ingredient for the first validation at our salmon R&D facilities in Norway," said Jenna Bowyer, category manager (novel ingredients) at Skretting. "Our desktop assessment verified the potential of this ingredient to be an alternative protein source to marine and soy proteins in our aquafeeds. This is another example of Skretting's commitment to identifying, developing and commercialising novel ingredients that can have a positive contribution to the sustainability of the aquaculture industry."

To produce the quantity required for Skretting's testing, eniferBio teamed up with Tereos, a global leader in the sugar, alcohol and starch markets. Tereos provided the raw material for the trial, in the form of vinasse, a by-product from the production of ethanol from beet molasses. eniferBio's process allows the efficient conversion of dilute side streams such as vinasse into a valuable protein ingredient for aquaculture feed.

"This is a very important step for us as a company as we reestablish the Pekilo production process, now as a major source of aquafeed protein," said Simo Ellilä, CEO of eniferBio. "We believe the process is unique in offering a cost-competitive, sustainable alternative to soy protein concentrate. The process is very scalable, and Pekilo can be produced close to the end users, promising to decrease dependence on imported protein.

"This pilot trial is an excellent example of bringing together the whole value chain in Europe. It has been an absolute pleasure making this happen with the great teams at Tereos and Skretting."

The Pekilo protein now continues salmon feeding trials at Skretting ARC in Stavanger, Norway.

- Skretting