Calysta, the company developing and introducing a new protein source based on single-cell organisms - a bacterium called methylococcus – and destined for inclusion in fishfeeds, has built a ‘market introduction facility’ in Teesside, England, with production beginning in this last quarter of 2016.

At an opening ceremony prior to the start of Aquaculture Europe 2016 being held in Edinburgh in the same week in September, the company said this facility will enable it to provide commercially-representative samples to customers for testing from early 2017.

Additionally, Calysta will be pursuing feed trials in warm water aquaculture species and product registration in jurisdictions outside the European Union.

The company also announced earlier this year a partnership with Cargill Corn Milling with an investment estimated at US$30 million, for production of the FeedKind Aqua protein in

North America and marketing worldwide. A world scale plant is expected to open in the United States by 2018.

Cargill’s involvement dramatically accelerates the introduction of commercial production of FeedKind Aqua protein and next generation products are in active development.

FeedKind Aqua protein can be customized to suit customer specifications.

Current modifications being pursued include elevating the levels of individual amino acids, incorporating omega-3 fatty acids and optimizing the amino acid profile for species-specific dietary requirements.

FeedKind Aqua protein has proven gastrointestinal benefits to salmon, including the prevention of soy-induced enteritis. The company is also researching potential anti-viral and anti-parasite effects conferred by this new protein product.

Using methanotrophs as a replacement protein source dates back some 20 years when a Danish company called BioProtein developed a stable production process for singlecell protein production. Statoil, the Norwegian oil and gas giant bought into

UK PRODUCTION FACILITY TO PRODUCE NEW ‘PROTEIN SAMPLES’ BASED ON SINGLE-CELL ORGANISMS FOR FEEDS

A NEW PROTEIN SOURCE FOR FEED

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the product and process and pursued its potential for inclusion in fishfeeds before selling the technology in 2014 to Calysta, which has been further refining it since then.

Critically, both the EU and Norway had approved the use of Methylococcus-based organisms and the process using them in fishfeeds during the product's early development.

However, the USA is still to complete its approval of the product. The company is aiming to have that approval soon and aims to build facilities in the US by 2018.

Dr Alan Shaw is Calysta President and CEO with its global headquarters in Menio Park, California. He says, “The opening of this plant represents the end of a decade of development and heralds a new era in the race to sustainably feed the world’s growing population.

“By 2050 the global population is expected to rise from 7.4 billion today to 9.6 billion and require 70 percent more protein than is currently available.

“Calysta can help meet this need by supplying the aquaculture industry with a naturally produced, sustainable and traceable feed alternative to replace conventional ingredients based on fishmeal and soya. Calysta’s proprietary technology enables retailers and consumers to have increased confidence in the integrity of their food.

“Our first focus is the salmon farming industry and we were very pleased to welcome representatives from a number of key producers. FeedKind protein has been shown to improve growth rates, nitrogen retention and gut health in Atlantic salmon.”

Anna Turley, the UK Member of Parliament for Redcar,

“BY 2050 THE GLOBAL POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO RISE FROM 7.4 BILLION TODAY TO 9.6 BILLION AND REQUIRE 70 PERCENT MORE PROTEIN THAN IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE"

Milling and Grain - October 2016 | 49

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officially opened the facility adjacent to the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI). She was joined by Dr Shaw and Nigel Perry, CEO of CPI.

The plant is supported by a conditional Exceptional Regional Growth Fund (EGRF) award and represents a total potential investment of UK£30 million. When completed, the facility is expected to provide employment for 35 to 40 people.

“It was an honour to open Calysta’s market introduction facility today,” says Ms Turley MP.

“As well as generating investment and employment in Teesside, this facility puts the UK at the forefront of the race to address the world’s growing protein demand with novel technologies. I am really pleased that Calysta have chosen to base their biotech project here and look forward to seeing the facility develop further.”

The official opening at the Wilton Centre was followed by a conference hosted by Calysta to discuss the increasing worldwide demand for fish protein, traceability and sustainability.

Representatives from Marine Harvest, Sainsbury’s and Rabobank took part in a panel discussion at the event.

Based in Menlo Park, California and established in 2011, Calysta brings together experts in biotechnology and product innovation to focus on commercialising disruptive, sustainable technologies.

In February 2016 Calysta announced US$30 million in Series C funding including an investment from Cargill. To date, the company has raised approximately US$50 million.

Calysta, Inc of Menlo Park in California is an innovator in sustainable products. Calysta Nutrition develops and commercialises fish and livestock nutritional products improving food security worldwide.

CEO Shaw says the goal isn’t to replace conventional fish feed but to provide alternative sources of protein to supplement the fast-growing market.

While FeedKind requires no agricultural land, fertilisers or pesticides and little water – and has a ready feedstock of easily-cultured methylococcus bacteria - its one drawback is its reliance on methane which has been partly overcome with the recent developments of the fracking industry in the US.

The company is, however, aiming to rapidly scale production once a US plant is in operation and estimates production the first year at 15,000 tonnes with a target of 200,000 tonnes by 2020.

www.calysta.com

Table 1: Histopathology Scoring of Shrimp

Treatment Shrimp Number

EMS Grading1

Sampling Status

Control (no EMS) 6 G0 Survivors

EMS Control 7 G2 Moribund

EMS + Calibrin-Z 8 G0 Survivors1Grading system based upon severity of EMS from G0 (not detected) to G4 (severe infection). Survivors were assumed to have healthy status - U of Arizona

A REPLACEMENT PROTEIN AND ITS CARBON FOOTPRINTFeedKind Aqua protein is a sustainable, cost-competitive alternative to fishmeal. On the EU catalogue of feed materials, it is a single cell protein approved for use in all aquaculture species.

FeedKind Aqua protein is produced via natural fermentation with non-GM organisms and contains 71 percent crude protein with an amino acid composition superior to vegetal sources. Ten percent crude fat content consisting primarily of short-chain, saturated fatty acids contributes to fish fillets with a firm texture.

Replacing fishmeal with FeedKind Aqua protein improves nitrogen retention and increases growth rates in Atlantic Salmon.

It is a protein source that is traceable

from production to the plate, has a shelf life of over one year and is produced to high standards of production – ensuring consistency of composition batch-to-batch and year-to-year.

Additionally, FeedKind Aqua protein has a sustainability profile not found in other ingredients:• No animal-based ingredients or

additives• No mercury content• Production is independent of weather,

climate variability and fishing regulations

• It does not compete with the human food chain

• There is no agricultural land use and minimal water is required

Calysta has sponsored an impartial analysis and report by the Carbon Trust ‘Assessment of Environmental Impact of FeedKind Protein' to look at carbon, water and land use of the new process.

It should be noted that FeedKind protein is not currently in commercial production, says the report.

“This product footprint is based on data from a decommissioned facility that had a production capacity of approximately 10,000 tonnes per annum. The location for the new facility is assumed to be Mobile, Alabama, USA for the purposes of this study.

“Commercial production is expected to begin in 2018, with an expected production rate of at least 20,000 tonnes per annum,” it adds.

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ANDRITZ Feed & Biofuel A/SEurope, Asia, and South America: andritz-fb@andritz.comUSA and Canada: andritz-fb.us@andritz.com www.andritz.com/ft

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ANDRITZ is one of the world’s leading suppliers of techno­logies, systems, and services relating to advanced industri­al equipment for the animal feed industry. With an in-depth knowledge of each key process, we can supply a compa tible and homogeneous solution from raw material intake to finis hed feed bagging.

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