A study comparing the environmental impact of aquafeeds has found Arbiom’s SylPro, a wood-to-food protein ingredient, to have the lowest footprint.
The study performed by Norwegian research institute Østfoldforskning, performed a life-cycle assessment (LCA) focusing on six environmental impact categories as identified in The Product Environmental Footprint Category rules for “Feed for food-producing animals.”
The study compared SylPro with fishmeal, soy protein concentrate, and other popular aquafeeds, and investigated material sourcing, production, and transportation to end users. SylPro showed the lowest impact on climate change, “supporting its viability as a sustainable solution to the looming global protein gap,” according to an Arbiom press release.
“We evaluated SylPro against other protein sources across multiple environmental impact categories, including its impact on climate change,” Ostfoldforskning Senior Research Scientist Andreas Brekke said. “While the results are preliminary, the data thus far shows positive signs in supporting SylPro as a sustainable solution to the protein gap.”
Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A.-based Arbiom, an agricultural-biotechnology company developing solutions to convert wood into feed and food, operates a pilot plant and fermentation plant in Norton, Virginia, U.S.A.
The LCA was conducted as part of the SYLFEED Project, a four-year, international and multidisciplinary project of 10 industry partners committed to scaling up Arbiom’s technology to convert wood residues into a protein-rich ingredient comprised of a microorganism for use in animal and aqua feed. The project is funded by the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking, under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.
“From the beginning it has been our goal to develop a protein ingredient that was not only nutritional, economical and traceable, but also above all, sustainable,” Arbiom CEO Marc Chevrel said. “The preliminary LCA results are incredibly promising in helping to validate this goal, and in supporting Arbiom’s commitment to sustainably feed the world’s growing population.”
Photo courtesy of Arbiom
