A SCOTS start-up has won its first commercial contract with a US company working on trials for a sustainable, alternative protein source that could benefit the global aquaculture industry.
SalmoSim, a University of Glasgow spin-out, devised a salmon gut simulator that mimics the digestive tract of Atlantic salmon and has teamed up with California-based Calysta, which has developed a feed ingredient called FeedKind protein, made by fermenting natural gas.
FeedKind is aimed at helping meet growing global demand for protein and is designed to be a sustainable substitute for proteins such as fishmeal and soy, which are widely used in seafood production.
Results from the simulation, taking place in Glasgow, will provide Calysta with valuable data on digestibility comparing FeedKind in SalmoSim to existing data.
Dr Martin Llewellyn, founder of SalmoSim and senior lecturer at Glasgow University, said: “Our gut simulation system provides a powerful tool for carrying out basic and applied research into fish digestion and we’re pleased to be supporting Calysta with the development of its alternative protein.
“In this case, we’ll be looking specifically at batch control to provide data that will support the full-scale manufacturing of FeedKind.
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“The aquaculture sector is changing rapidly, with many seeking to find more sustainable ingredients for fish feed that can support future growth as a substitute for wild-caught fish.
“SalmoSim can help feed manufacturers with an important pre-screening phase, allowing them to eliminate unviable options without the time and expense associated with full-scale tests.”
Calysta is the only company in the world able to produce protein from gas at scale and it is involved in a joint venture building the world’s first commercial FeedKind production facility in Chongqing, China.
This will have 20,000 tonnes of capacity and is expected to come online in 2022.
Allan LeBlanc from Calysta said: “FeedKind has already been validated in a number of fish species, including salmon, trout and shrimp, but SalmoSim’s capability gives us even more data, which is invaluable as we further demonstrate functional benefits such as maintaining a healthy gut.”
The gut simulator was first developed as part of a collaborative project that began in 2016, funded in part by the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).
Heather Jones, CEO of SAIC, said: “This international contract will hopefully be the first of many for SalmoSim.
“SalmoSim is a great example of the ground-breaking research taking place in Scotland that has the potential to make a significant difference to the worldwide aquaculture sector, as well as shape the sustainability of global food production.”
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