ICC Brazil teams with Lallemand on R&D and supply of inactive yeast from sugarcane ethanol

In Brazil, ICC Brazil announced that it has entered into a long-term global partnership with Lallemand Animal Nutrition (LAN) for the research, development, and supply of inactive yeast products and derivatives derived from sugar cane ethanol.

Over recent years, LAN has developed a unique expertise in the qualification of the chemical and physical structure of yeast cell wall, introducing new tools such as Atomic Force Microscopy and in-vitro models to measure the binding capacities (against pathogens and toxins) and immune modulation effects of such products. In parallel, Lallemand has been working hard on the selection of specific yeast strains that offer unique properties while producing high yields of ethanol. These new research programs have identified new properties and benefits for end-users from ethanol-based yeast co-products, leading ICC, and LAN to enter into collaborative discussions. These discussions have resulted in the decision to formalize a partnership which will further develop ICC’s upstream expertise and LAN’s technology leadership by undertaking joint research & development work on yeast cell wall and derivatives.

The new partnership will secure a dedicated supply from ICC’s contracted sugar/ethanol mills of characterized yeast cell wall products and yeast derivatives, which will be marketed by LAN under its brands to its customers. The value of yeast cell walls is well demonstrated and widely accepted by the animal nutrition marketplace. However, there is still further work to do to identify and select new strains with higher and more consistent performance effects on several species. Both ICC and LAN strongly believe that yeast can become a reliable and source of alternative protein at a time when sustainability has become a significant concern for the animal production industry, especially in aquaculture. Within the partnership arrangements, Lallemand Group will bring its knowledge and expertise around yeast selection and production, LAN will use its R&D capabilities to deploy its discoveries in term of yeast downstream modification further using specific, and new enzymes blends applied on specific strains in dedicated plants. ICC will provide its know-how and expertise in the ethanol yeast production based on over 25 years of successful offtake from its network of Brazilian sugar mills.

The LAN and ICC Brazil commercial networks will remain sperate, and ICC Brazil will continue to sell its full range of existing products to its customers through its offices in Brazil, Europe, USA, Asia, and South America.