DSM-Evonik JV inaugurates US$200m facility for sustainable algae-based omega 3

11 Jul 2019 --- Veramis, a joint venture of Royal DSM and German chemicals corporation Evonik, has officially opened a US$200 million manufacturing facility located in Nebraska, US, for the commercial production of omega 3 fatty acids from natural marine algae. The facility will help alleviate the burden on the world’s ocean and fish supplies and will support sustainable salmon farming, according to the partners. Veramaris integrates DSM’s expertise in the cultivation of marine organisms, such as algae, and the biotechnological fermentation capacities of Evonik.

Veramaris’ highly concentrated algal oil is marketed as containing twice the levels of healthy EPA and DHA – which are vital for brain, eye and heart health – compared to fish oil. Algae is an original source of omega 3 fatty acids, elevating the sustainability aspect of this product, which does not rely on raw material obtained from wild fish stocks. 

The Veramaris facility’s initial production capacity of omega 3 fatty acids is equivalent to that derived from 1.2 million tons of wild-caught fish. This will meet around 15 percent of the global salmon farming industry's annual demand for omega 3 fatty acid – a significant contribution to conserving aquatic biodiversity, notes the partnership. 

Click to EnlargeNeeding to feed the growing population of 10 billion people by 2050 is leading industry to seek new nutrition sources.“In Veramaris, we have combined the competencies of two strong partners to make an innovative contribution to the healthy nutrition of the world’s growing population, without putting any further burden on our oceans,” says Christian Kullmann, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik. 

Salmon is also rich source of the two essential omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Spiraling demand for seafood and the consequent pressure on overfishing has fueled the growth of fish farms. Aquaculture, however, compounds the burden on wild fish stocks, since 20 percent of the wild catch is used to make feed for farmed fish and 75 percent of all fish oil produced is currently fed to farmed fish. 

The Veramaris production plant debuted as a zero-waste facility, featuring concepts to utilize by-products in sustainable applications, such as biogas and cattle feed. 

Eco-friendly algae is on-trend
The looming issue of sustainably feeding the growing population of 10 billion people by 2050 is leading industry to seek less traditional food and nutrition sources – such as algae. Despite challenges in this space, ranging from R&D to collection and processing, Germany-based food-tech supplier GEA is currently offering technologies to accompany start-ups and algae producers to help them to meet strict industry standards.

This growing focus on refined algae as a supporting element in sustainable food production has further drawn GEA and several partners from the EU’s scientific and business community to form the Sustainable Algae Biorefinery for Agriculture and Aquaculture (SABANA) project in 2016, which is a EU-funded Horizon 2020 initiative.

In related news, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) has unveiled a new line of DHA/EPA blends containing omega 3, 6 and 9, which offer benefits that can help support cognitive, heart, immune system or eye health. Coined Onavita Algal DHA and Almega EPA, the new blends were created in collaboration with Qualitas Health, a leader in algae cultivation. The new products are renewably sourced in the US and are suitable supplement applications. They join ADM’s already extensive line of nutritional oils and powders, including Onavita Algal DHA Powders, Onavita Algal DHA Oils and Onavita Flaxseed Oil.

Algae is also increasingly finding its way into the personal care market, as evidenced by some high profile movements. In June, Lubrizol Corporation exclusively partnered with Corbion Biotech to bring AlgaPur high stability, high oleic algae oil to the personal care and cosmetics markets.  

By Benjamin Ferrer

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