Finnish mycoprotein company Enifer has announced that its proprietary PEKILO® fermentation technology is set to arrive in Latin America for the first time, in partnership with Brazilian ethanol producer FS.
The collaboration will mark the first time Enifer’s PEKILO®Pet and PEKILO®Aqua production processes have operated outside Europe, and the first time corn ethanol-derived thin stillage has been used as feedstock.
FS is now working to construct an industrial process at a pilot scale for the Brazilian market, which will produce approximately a combined 500 tonnes of PEKILO®Pet and PEKILO®Aqua annually. The fermentation process will be integrated with FS’s ethanol production, using sidestreams from existing operations to improve resource efficiency and advance circular economy principles.
“Relevant and innovative solution”
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. Through the program, the project will receive R$9.8 million from the Brazilian innovation agency, FINEP (Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos).
Once operational, the plant could produce up to 10,000 tonnes of PEKILO® annually. The mycoproteins, which are aimed at the pet food and aquaculture industries, will be marketed in Brazil and other Latin American countries such as Ecuador and Chile.
PEKILO®Pet and PEKILO®Aqua are produced through a biomass fermentation process that utilizes a unique fungal strain. The ingredients are said to be rich in protein and beta-glucan fiber and low in fat and carbohydrates, providing palatable and digestible sources of complete protein.
“This project reinforces our commitment to innovation, science, and sustainability,” said Rafael Abud, CEO at FS. “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.”
“Flexibility and robustness”
The news comes as Enifer finalizes the construction of its first full-scale PEKILO® production facility in Finland. The project is backed by €33 million in funding and is designed to produce up to 3,000 tons of high-quality mycoprotein ingredients annually.
Last year, Enifer applied for regulatory approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to sell PEKILO® in the EU. At the time, it claimed to be the first Nordic company to seek novel foods approval for a mycoprotein.
A recent life-cycle assessment by Enifer found that PEKILO®Pet has a significantly lower carbon footprint than many other pet food ingredients, outperforming soy protein concentrate, lamb, and insect protein powder.
“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, CEO 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.”
