Dutch ingredients company Corbion looks to expand algae utilization in pet food

NETHERLANDS- Corbion, an Amsterdam-based food and biochemicals company, plans to expand the utilization of its algae-based omega-3 product, AlgaPrime DHA, in pet nutrition, following successful utilization in aquaculture.  

With a considerable focus on the premiumization of pet food, the industry has experienced an increased demand for quality inputs for pet food production. 

Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) promote pets’ cognitive function and cardiovascular health, making for an attractive market for companies like Corbion. 

According to Ruud Peerbooms, president of Corbion’s Algae Ingredients, the company has served the pet food industry mainly from its lactic acid portfolio. 

The company, which delivered organic sales growth of 115.3% in 2022 thanks to AlgaPrime DHA,  now has a custom formulation and delivery system developed to meet the demands of the pet food industry. 

“Today, we offer a highly concentrated DHA for inclusion in pet food that is stabilized with natural antioxidants. We do not add any other carriers, so it is 100% biomass in powder form,” Peerbooms explained. 

This product is already being utilized by pet food manufacturers in the USA and Europe, following a partnership Corbion formed with IQI in 2022. 

Corbion prides itself as a sustainable ingredients company dedicated to “preserving what matters” and reducing food waste throughout the supply chain. 

As pertains to its vision of preservation, conserving ecosystems is something Corbion does by offering alternative aquaculture feed to prevent overfishing. 

According to Corbion, global fish stocks are at risk due to the rapid expansion of aquaculture and the demand it generates for fishmeal and fish oil, necessitating the need to reduce the depletion of small marine fish. 

“On a DHA basis, one metric ton of AlgaPrime DHA is equivalent to 40 tons of wild-caught fish from the oceans,” states data from Corbion. 

This product, grown in a closed fermentation system with sugarcane as the substrate, has had considerable utilization in aquaculture, attracting the attention of producers such as Danish Biomar. 

This fermentation happens in a facility in Orindiuva, Brazil, which the company plans to expand to accommodate more output and develop additional products. 

Meanwhile, researchers have recently provided that food safety hurdles continue to complicate seaweed development touted as a methane reducer in cows. 

As more companies employ sustainability drives, ingredients promoting methane reduction are increasingly important in animal nutrition.

A type of seaweed called Asparagopsis taxiformis containing high concentrations of bromoform could be pivotal in significantly reducing the methane greenhouse gas emissions by cows. 

However, experts at Wageningen University (WUR) in the Netherlands warn that this solution could pose risks to animal health and food safety.

“But bromoform is also toxic in high doses and can end up in milk,” says Wouter Muizelaar, a researcher at Wageningen Livestock Research, after previous research linked the consumption of the seaweed to abnormalities in the rumen wall of sheep. 

Therefore, there is a need for further research to ensure the safety of cows and consumers.