China approves protein from industrial gas as aquafeed
Calysta’s FeedKind protein, which is created using waste gases from industry, has received formal approval for use in aquaculture feeds in China.
The new feed is being manufactured in China by Calysseo, a joint venture between Calysta and feed giant Adisseo. Calysseo hopes to deliver its feed product to customers in China shortly.
The country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) has formally given Calysta’s single cell protein full approval for use in fish and shrimp feeds after an extensive evaluation process.
Calysseo’s first production plant is in Chongqing, already producing sustainable FeedKind protein for the aquaculture industry, giving producers access to an alternative to plant or animal sources for aquafeed diets. The protein is produced by harnessing the power of a naturally occurring microbe that converts methane into a nutritious feed ingredient, FeedKind.
The company describes FeedKind as “a natural, sustainable and traceable feed ingredient produced by fermentation for aquaculture feeds and pet foods producing using no plant or animal ingredients”.
FeedKind has been validated via extensive trials across popular aquaculture species, including shrimp, seabass, and salmon.
Research previously demonstrated benefits for shrimp, concluding that FeedKind promotes strong, healthy growth, while also helping activate shrimp’s immune response to Vibrio, the causative agent of Early Mortality Syndrome.
Herman Hong, Adisseo Aquaculture Manager for China said: “This is a significant step forward for the adoption and use of fermented proteins across global food systems. MARA approval is more than simply a regulatory step, it is validation that our product is a healthy and practical ingredient for use in aquaculture systems and opens the door for the Chinese aquaculture sector to set new standards in sustainable feed practices.”
Alan Shaw, co-founder and CEO of Calysta added: “Approval from MARA is the final piece of the puzzle to bring a truly sustainable, high-quality source of protein to the Asian aquaculture market that offers superior nutrition to existing alternatives.”
As well as its main production facility in China, Calysta operates a “market introduction facility” in Teesside, northeast England, producing sample quantities of FeedKind.
