NovoNutrients announced an innovation in carotenoid production technology.
The company uses industrial carbon dioxide fermentation, hydrogen and microbes to create high-grade proteins for animal feed. NovoNutrients has now unveiled carotenoid SCPs, that will be the first addition to the new Novoceuticals line, a feed additives line of products. The company told Aquafeed.com that will also launch a non-carotenoid Novoceutical.
The company’s general carbon capture process upcycles approximately two tons of carbon dioxide for every ton of protein-rich ingredient. By utilizing carbon dioxide and renewable energy through gas fermentation, this biomanufacturing platform offers advantages of cost savings, scalability, and sustainability over conventional production, contributing to a greener future enriched by the vibrant hues of carotenoids. It enables the sale of natural carotenoids at synthetic price levels, positioning NovoNutrients to be a major player in the global carotenoids market, projected to be worth USD 2.3 billion by 2027, according to Expert Market Research.
NovoNutrients' innovative technology offers a competitive advantage by producing high-quality natural carotenoids to sell near synthetic price levels. After successfully producing carotenoids at a 1% weight percentage and in kilogram quantities, NovoNutrients is starting to scale up production to metric ton quantities.
Aquafeed trials
Aquaculture efficacy studies are in the pipeline. “Our first move is in salmon aquaculture, with shrimp to follow,” the company told Aquafeed.com. NovoNutrients is also testing the potential use of both ingredients and assessing the value added to aquafeeds. “There is a very strong case for a 10% inclusion rate in salmon feed of a product that is blended SCP, SCP+astaxanthin, and SCP+canthaxanthin,” David Tze, CEO of NovoNutrients, told us.
“Our nutritional proteins enhanced with carotenoids can be blended into feeds for dogs, cats, egg-laying hens, salmon, shrimp, koi, and other ornamental and aquaculture fish,” said Jo Ritter, CTO of NovoNutrients. “Our custom strains and process conditions enable us to fine-tune the production of specific carotenoids. Having the same natural structure as those found in organisms like krill, our carotenoids can alleviate concerns over the impact of overfishing crustaceans in the Antarctic ecosystem.”
NovoNutrients’ base nutritional protein that undergirds the additives is a product in and of itself, with crude protein levels exceeding 80%, amino acid profiles better than beef, and high levels of B-complex vitamins. The company has been partnering with Skretting to trial the protein in aquaculture species. Trials with another large aquafeed company have also been performed on shrimp. “On a per gram protein basis, we outperformed the fishmeal-centered feeds in biomass growth and FCR. There are initial indications of improved disease resistance, but more study is needed in that regard,” Tze said.
Looking forward
NovoNutrients' synthetic biology platform is also poised to transform a series of markets beyond carotenoids, which “represents just one example among the moderate-value protein and high-value biochemical categories we're targeting. Our platform technology seamlessly combines the production of traditionally expensive additives with making our high-quality, cost-effective, and eco-friendly protein,” said Kedar Patel, NovoNutrients' SVP of biology.
“We anticipate sales for pet food in 2024, with aquaculture to follow. The first production will be in Asia-Pacific,” Tze concluded.
