UK factory produces first four tonnes of FeedKind
US alternative feed supplier Calysta has announced the first shipment of commercial samples of FeedKind protein from its factory in Teesside.
These samples will support market development in the European Union, the United States, Japan, Southeast Asia, China and Australia.
FeedKind protein is a family of natural, sustainable and traceable feed ingredients for fish, livestock and pets that is being developed to help meet the world’s growing demand for food. It is produced via a continuous fermentation process of a natural microorganism, using the world’s only commercially validated gas fermentation process.
The Teesside plant at the Wilton Centre has successfully maintained a continuous fermentation for eight weeks, and has produced more than four metric tons of commercially representative FeedKind protein.
“We are extremely pleased at the performance of this facility achieving its target metrics quickly, safely and efficiently,” said Graham Aylen, Calysta vice president of Capital Projects. “This accomplishment has been possible based on the strength of our proprietary technology and the fact that this facility is a scaled-down version of a successful commercial facility.”
Gas fermentation
The Teesside facility is a scale-down from a reactor demonstrated to produce at a rate of 10,000 metric tons per year. In April 2017, Calysta and Cargill held the groundbreaking of what will be the world’s largest gas fermentation facility in Memphis, Tennessee, to produce FeedKind protein. Engineering is underway, and the facility is planned to come online in early 2019. It is expected to produce up to 20,000 metric tons per year of FeedKind protein from two full-scale reactors initially and expanding to up to 200,000 metric tons per year when operating at full capacity.
“I want to commend our team in the UK for achieving this significant milestone and hitting our facility’s design parameters in a very short timeframe,” said Alan Shaw, Calysta president and chief executive. “It is a testament to our team’s extensive experience in continuous fermentation and the power of our proprietary technology. Our customers are now able to benefit from Calysta’s substantial investment in research and manufacturing technology for FeedKind protein over the last decade.”
