September 3, 2024
Aerbio's Dutch facility to produce 200kg of carbon dioxide, hydrogen-based single-cell protein for feed use
Microbiology company Aerbio has launched a pilot facility in the Netherlands that the company said will produce 200 kilogrammes of single-cell protein a month from carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen gases.
Aerbio was formed via a management buyout of Deep Branch Bioechnology, the UK-based carbon recycling company that was working on a low-carbon feed ingredient made using CO2 captured from industrial emissions. Aerbio opened its pilot facility at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus and is aiming to use the launch as a means of determining how to integrate the single-celled protein – dubbed "Proton" – into the food chain for use in salmon and chicken feed.
"The opening of our pilot facility is a significant step forward for our technology," said Aerbio co-founder and Chief Experiences Officer Peter Rowe. "It proves its scalability – both in terms of production and the operations of the sites."
According to Aerbio, the additional production of its single-cell protein will enable the company to conduct larger feed trials. The company is currently doing engineering work, and it is planning to achieve 250 metric tons (MT) of production each year. Subsequent facilities could produce as much as 100,000 MT of Proton per year.
Aerbio said that its product requires no arable land, and its process can be deployed at industrial areas wherever food-grade CO2 and hydrogen are being created. As it is using CO2 in its production, the carbon footprint of Proton is up to 90% lower than traditional fishmeal or soy ingredients, Aerbio said.
"Results from initial small-scale trials also suggest that, in principle, it has the same nutritional benefits as conventional feed ingredients from animal or plant origins," the company said.
With the launch of the pilot facility, Aerbio is planning to ship its first products in the next few months and to begin chicken and fish trials by the end of the summer.
- SeafoodSource