Evonik to introduce first own probiotic
A constant challenge to produce more from less by Chris Jackson, Export Manager UK TAG As I write these notes this month from winter conditions here in the UK, it is a constant reminder that in the farming world, we are all reliant on climate for all of our production. Worldwide, farmers have adapted production technique to suit both the land and climatic conditions. Farming in itself is a complex enough subject and my best guess is that it is still the world’s biggest user of labour, even without all of its allied industries needed to get raw materials from point of production to end consumer. With some very notable international large scale integrated companies operating, most production is still in the hands of family businesses that are limited in expansion by lack of capital and resources- as well as their own traditions. Challenges we face As our productive land is increasingly taken over by urban development, those left in the industry have a constant challenge to produce more from less. Here in the UK we are helped by having some of the worlds leading research and development facilities, a fact often overlooked by our potential customers from around the globe- working not only in livestock field, but for crops including; tropical varieties, horticulture, machinery and technology. My own university for example, is working on robotic field machinery, not only because of skilled labour shortage here, but perhaps more importantly because of soil structure damage caused by the ever increasing size of farm machinery. The effects include soil erosion and dust blowing in the vast arable lands of countries such as America or Australia. Whilst crop and livestock development is a constant challenge to increase yields, I believe that our scientists have food safety and sustainability as a bigger challenge. In our modern world the challenges are 36 | February 2017 - Milling and Grain
to produce food on an industrial scale that is free from artificial contaminants, with diseases controlled in the livestock and fish industries by uncontrolled anti biotic use and for crop production by the increase in fungicides, pesticides and weed control with the use of ever increasing amounts of chemical sprays. Genetic development will be crucial in this sphere and the public at large will need to be properly informed, so that production can be safely developed. We need to embrace modern scientific controls and monitor the scientists’ work for our own mutual benefit. Having produced basically cereals and protein crops for both livestock, fish and of course humans, we rely then on our milling industry to turn raw products into digestible and nutritious products. For us, food development is being challenged by the preservatives that have to be used to increase the shelf life of the everyday foods. Foods that we take for granted, biscuits or cereals for example are items, which we are told are not good for our health, because of preservatives such as sugar and salt. These challenges will be met. Moving forward As this country is moving towards leaving the EU, our currency is at an all time low. So this must be a good time for us in the industry to encourage people in all parts of our sectors to come to the United Kingdom, to look at the research and development that is taking place here, that is relevant to their business, and then going to the next step of finding commercial partners with whom they can make mutually profitable trading arrangements. My real time job is to help facilitate this, and with Perendale we will be taking a large group of companies to the VIV Asia Exhibition in Thailand in March to showcase some of the UK’s expertise. I am looking forward to this event being very successful for all concerned, and I hope to see many of you there. To keep up to date you can follow us on Twitter at “AgritecExports” @AgrictecExports
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vonik, specialists in feed amino acids, will launch their own first developed probiotic product GutCare® PY1. Over the coming years they intend to assume a leading role in the field of sustainable and antibiotic-free livestock management. The product they have developed has a positive effect on the healthy balance of bacteria populations in the chicken gut, especially under stressful conditions. Dr Emmanuel Auer, head of the Animal Nutrition business line at Evonik says, “The product can be part of a set of alternative solutions to reduce the use of antibiotic growth promoters. Thus it can contribute to a healthy and balanced nutrition of livestock.” For the development of the antibiotic, a multi parameter selection process was established to screen more than 500 strains of the bacterial type Bacillus subtilis DSM 32315 to modify the gut microbiota to inhibit the conditions that encourage different necrotic enteritis outbreak isolates. This illness, which is commonly associated with certain pathogenic bacteria of the Clostridium perfringens type, causes losses of billions of US dollars to the global poultry industry every year. The product will initially be introduced into the US market, and then other countries will follow. Since the 2016 acquisition of the probiotic business from the Spanish company Norel S. A., Evonik has two probiotics within its portfolio: Ecobiol® for poultry, and Fecinor® for piglets. Peter Freisler, head of Gut Health Solutions at Evonik states, “Our own developed probiotic product ideally complements our product portfolio and expands our options to serve our customers worldwide.” In edition to expanding their product portfolio, Evonik are developing a unique chicken gut simulation model in order to study the mechanisms of probiotics in animal nutrition. Stefan Pelzer, head of innovation area Gut Health & Diagnostics explains further, “From our perspective, the potential of probiotics for sustainable animal production is far from being exploited. That’s why we want to understand in detail how they work within the gut,”