A pilot facility for a novel animal feed product has been launched in the Netherlands, marking a significant step forward for a project aiming to transform food production and supply chains.
The facility, operated by Aerbio, a company formed from the management buy-out of Nottingham-headquartered Deep Branch, will produce a single-cell protein called Proton, which can be used as feed for salmon and chickens. The pilot facility is located at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, a hub for circular chemistry and chemical processes.
The facility will allow for larger feed trials to begin, with an initial 200 kg of Proton being produced per month. The pilot facility will help the company determine how best to integrate itself into the food chain, with the Proton being used in the assessment and development of a number of applications.
Engineering work is also underway on an upcoming ‘Market Launch Facility’, which will have the capacity to produce 250 tonnes of Proton per annum. Subsequent commercial sites are expected to each produce 100,000 tonnes of Proton per year.
The project is part of the REACT-FIRST initiative, which aims to produce novel feed ingredients to replace finite supplies of marine and land-based ingredients. The initiative is funded through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Transforming Food Production Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Aerbio’s fermentation system uses carbon dioxide and hydrogen gases to produce Proton, requiring no arable land and allowing for deployment in countries that currently have to import protein-rich ingredients. The carbon footprint associated with Proton is up to 90% lower than either fishmeal or soy, and results from initial small-scale trials suggest that it has the same nutritional benefits as conventional feed ingredients.
The company plans to ship its first products in the next few months, with initial chicken and fish feed trials beginning by the end of the summer and results available for the beginning of 2025.
