ESPOO, FINLAND and SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL — Finnish biotech company Enifer announced that its PEKILO® fermentation technology will be deployed for the first time in Latin America in collaboration with Brazilian ethanol producer FS. The project takes a significant step in the production of PEKILO®Pet and PEKILO®Aqua mycoproteins, marking the first time the process will operate outside Europe, according to Enifer.

The project also marks the first use of corn ethanol-derived thin stillage as feedstock for 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 the mycoproteins’ production.

PEKILO®Pet and PEKILO®Aqua are nutrient-rich ingredients produced through a biomass fermentation process that utilizes a unique fungal strain, similar to the techniques employed in brewing or producing soy sauce. This process yields highly palatable and digestible ingredients that are rich in protein (60%) and beta-glucan fiber, and low in fat and carbohydrates, according to Enifer. In pet nutrition, the micronutrients and water absorption properties of PEKILO®Pet make it an ideal ingredient that can allow pet food companies to reach their sustainability goals.

“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, co-founder and chief executive officer 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 500 tonnes combined of PEKILO®Pet and PEKILO®Aqua annually. The fermentation process will be directly integrated with FS’s ethanol production, utilizing side streams from existing operations to maximize resource efficiency and advance circular economy principles. 

“This project reinforces our commitment to innovation, science and sustainability,” said Rafael Abud, CEO of 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 (dried distillers grains) production. This is a significant technological advancement for the sector.”

To enable the scale-up of the production, FS has approved the project under the Mais Inovação Brasil program, and the initiative will receive R$9.8 million ($1.7 million USD) in funding. The product will be marketed to the animal nutrition industry in Brazil, Ecuador and Chile. 

“With this funding, we will advance key stages related to fungal fermentation, enabling us to move toward industrial production,” said Daniel Lopes, vice president of Sustainability and Business Development at FS. “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.” 

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, according to the companies.

Currently, FS uses thin stillage to produce DDG for animal feed. By applying the PEKILO® process, FS will generate an additional scientifically and technologically effective solution for animal nutrition without displacing current production. The resulting mycoprotein is well-suited for use in pet food and aquaculture. 

The initiative in Brazil is part of Enifer’s continued expansion. The company is currently finalizing the construction of its first full-scale PEKILO® production facility in Finland, which is backed by €33 million ($37.7 million USD) in funding and designed to produce up to 3,000 tons of mycoprotein ingredients annually.

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