KAISERAUGST, SWITZERLAND: DSM Nutritional Products Ltd and Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH said they have entered into a joint development agreement for algae-based omega-3 fatty acid products for animal nutrition, in particular in aquaculture and pet food applications.
The companies aim to meet increasing demand for omega-3 fatty acids by harnessing naturally occurring marine algae using sustainable, biotechnological processes based on natural, non-marine resources.
DSM and Evonik expect that in Q4 2015 they will be able to report the first results of the algae-based omega-3 fatty acid product development.
The companies will jointly work on development of products and explore opportunities for commercialization. DSM has expertise in cultivation of marine organisms and biotechnology capabilities in development and operations, whilst Evonik’s focus has been on industrial amino acid biotechnology executing large-volume fermentation processes.
The envisioned algae-based omega-3 fatty acid products will be high value, natural and sustainable alternatives to fish oil, whose supply is finite. This will help the animal nutrition industry keep up with increasing demand without endangering fish stocks and will contribute to healthy and sustainable animal nutrition. Fatty acids have been added to aquaculture feed almost exclusively from marine sources such as fish oil and fishmeal. By using algae, DSM and Evonik are looking to contribute to a more sustainable aquaculture industry.
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