Algae oil maker Veramaris has opened a $200 million,\r\ncommercial-scale facility in Blair, Nebraska, that it says will produce ample\r\nquantities of an oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can serve...
Algae oil maker Veramaris has opened a $200 million,\r\ncommercial-scale facility in Blair, Nebraska, that it says will produce ample\r\nquantities of an oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can serve as an\r\nalternative to conventional fish oil.
Veramaris, a joint venture between German specialty chemical\r\ngiant Evonik Industries and Dutch nutrition conglomerate Royal DSM, said in a\r\npress release that the oil is produced by growing the marine algae strain\r\nSchizochytrium at industrial scale in bio-reactors. The oil produced is\r\nrich in both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and will\r\nproduce roughly 15% of the current annual demand for those two fatty acids, the\r\ncompany has said.
"In response to the aquaculture industry’s call for\r\nnovel and sustainable sources of EPA and DHA, Veramaris’ production capacity is\r\nequivalent to 1.2 million metric tons of wild-catch fish. This will meet around\r\n15% of the entire salmon farming industry's annual demand for EPA and DHA –\r\nproviding a significant contribution to conserving the biodiversity in our\r\noceans and reducing pressure on marine wild catch fisheries," the company\r\nsaid in a press release.
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The new plant will be located adjacent to Evonik’s current\r\nfacility on Cargill’s site, with access to the raw materials needed to produce\r\nthe oil, the company said. Blair was chosen as Evonik has been operating a\r\nfacility there for the fermentative production of Biolys - the amino acid\r\nL-lysine - for almost 20 years.
Source : Undercurrent News
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Tim Minapoli
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Pakar di bidang akuakultur dengan pengalaman lebih dari 15 tahun. Aktif berkontribusi dalam pengembangan industri perikanan Indonesia.