New feed source in the pipeline for Latin American aquaculture

Finnish biotech company Enifer has announced that its proprietary Pekilo fermentation technology will be deployed for the first time in Latin America in collaboration with FS, one of Brazil’s leading producers of ethanol.

Enifer said the project represents a significant step in the internationalisation of its Pekilo Pet and Pekilo Aqua production and opens up the prospect of a major new protein source for Chile’s salmon farmers and Ecuador’s prawn producers, as well as pet food manufacturers.

The collaboration with FS marks the first time that the process will operate outside Europe, as well as the first use of corn ethanol-derived thin stillage as feedstock for the production. FS is now working to construct an industrial process at a pilot scale for the Brazilian market after validating its thin stillage as a feedstock for Pekilo mycoprotein production.

Biomass fermentation

Pekilo Pet and Pekilo Aqua mycoproteins are nutrient-rich ingredients produced through a biomass fermentation process that utilises a unique fungal strain, akin to the techniques employed in brewing or producing soy sauce. This process yields ingredients that are rich in protein (60%) and beta-glucan fibre, low in fat and carbohydrates, and highly palatable and digestible sources of complete protein.

“Transferring this process across the Atlantic to a new continent and using a new agricultural side stream is a significant validation of the flexibility and robustness of the Pekilo fermentation technology,” said Simo Ellilä, chief executive and co-founder of Enifer. “It shows that Pekilo can deliver consistent performance from a wide variety of raw materials and in very different industrial settings.”

FS’s pilot project can produce approximately a combined 500 tonnes of Pekilo Pet and Pekilo Aqua annually. The fermentation process will be directly integrated with FS’s ethanol production, utilising side streams from existing operations to maximise resource efficiency and advance circular economy principles.

No trade-off required

Currently, FS uses thin stillage to produce DDG (Dried Distillers Grains) for animal feed. By applying the Pekilo process, FS will generate an additional solution for animal nutrition without displacing current production.

“This project reinforces our commitment to innovation, science, and sustainability. We are adding extra value to ‘second-crop’ corn by developing a relevant and innovative solution for animal nutrition, using a pre-existing raw material without compromising DDG production. This is a significant technological advancement for the sector,” said Rafael Abud, chief executive at FS.

Factbox: Enifer and FS

Enifer, a spin-off company from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, was founded by five scientists in 2020 to further develop and commercialise the proprietary PEKILO® technology. A process originally developed and used by the Finnish forest industry at a commercial scale, the Pekilo technology enables the biotechnological conversion of dilute side streams into a high-protein ingredient, Pekilo mycoprotein.

Enifer already has ongoing partnerships with global feed and food companies such as Skretting, the global aquafeed division of Nutreco, Purina for pet food, and Valio for consumer food products.

FS is the first ethanol industry in Brazil to use 'second-crop' corn for 100% of its production. Second-crop corn refers to the practice of planting a second crop of corn after harvesting an earlier crop, typically soybeans, in the same field within the same year. 

With three facilities located in Lucas do Rio Verde, Sorriso, and Primavera do Leste, all in the state of Mato Grosso, the company has the capacity to produce approximately 2.3 billion litres of ethanol per year. In addition, FS has sold 1.7 million tonnes of DDGs, and produces TCO (technical corn oil) and bioelectricity.

The company is undergoing an expansion process aimed at reaching a production capacity of 5 billion litres of ethanol per year.

To enable the scale-up of the production, FS has approved the project under the Mais Inovação Brasil program, which supports innovation through public funding and subsidies. The initiative will receive R$9.8 million (£1.28m / US $1.7m) in funding from FINEP (Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos), the Brazilian innovation agency. The product will be marketed to the animal nutrition industry in Brazil as well as other countries, such as Ecuador and Chile.

“With this funding, we will advance key stages related to fungal fermentation, enabling us to move toward industrial production. We will now implement our pilot plant, learn how to scale its operation, and test the market with high-performance functional solutions for animal nutrition,” said Daniel Lopes, vice president of sustainability and business development at FS.

10,000 tonnes per year

Once operational, the industrial plant could reach a production capacity of 10,000 tonnes annually, making it a significant new source of sustainable protein in Latin America.

Enifer said the mycoprotein produced by using thin stillage is particularly well-suited for use in pet food and aquaculture, where the demand for sustainable, traceable, and high-quality protein sources is increasing.

The Brazilian initiative is part of Enifer’s broader scale-up trajectory. In Finland, the company is finalising the construction of its first full-scale Pekilo production facility, backed by €33 million (£27.7m / US $37.4m) in funding and designed to produce up to 3,000 tonnes of high-quality mycoprotein ingredients annually.

With operations now under way in both hemispheres, Enifer said the Pekilo process has been proven to function across a wide range of raw materials, climates, and industrial infrastructures.