Evonik starts up plant producing methionine source for shrimps

• First plant for production of a methionine source for shrimps starts up in Antwerp.
• New product from Evonik increases efficiency and sustainability of crustacean aquaculture.
• Market launch of AQUAVI® Met-Met planned for mid-2016.

Essen. Evonik Industries starts up in Antwerp (Belgium) the world’s first production plant for a new methionine source specifically for shrimps and other crustaceans. AQUAVI® Met-Met, the dipeptide of two DL-methionine molecules, is expected to be launched on the market in mid-2016 and will be used as an aquaculture feed additive.

Dr. Reiner Beste, Chairman of the Board of Management of Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH, says: "With AQUAVI® Met-Met we’re extending our range of feed amino acids for animal nutrition to include another specialty with high value for our customers. This further strengthens our position as a market and technology leader."

"In AQUAVI® Met-Met we’re offering a cost-efficient and sustainable solution also for shrimp and crustacean farming," says Dr. Emmanuel Auer, Head of the Animal Nutrition Business Line at Evonik. "In view of the growing global population and limited availability of resources, this appears to us to be vitally important."

In 2015, no less than half of the fish, crustaceans, and shellfish consumed globally originated from aquaculture. Fishmeal being part of the feed as a protein source is a significant cost factor for farmers. Supplementation with amino acids allows significant reduction of the proportion of fishmeal in feeds, as Evonik has already demonstrated for fish farming. In addition, Evonik contributes to improved sustainability and conservation of biodiversity.

But shrimps and crustaceans have totally different feeding habits and digestive systems than, for example, fish and AQUAVI® Met-Met has been developed specially for them. It is significantly less water-soluble than DL-methionine and not so easily leached out of the feed. In the digestive tract of shrimps the dipeptide breaks down and methionine becomes available for protein synthesis at exactly the right time. As feeding trials in many countries have shown, just 0.56 kg of AQUAVI® Met-Met in 1,000 kg of shrimp feed results in the same growth as 1 kg of DL-methionine. This increases the efficiency and sustainability of shrimp farming.

AQUAVI® Met-Met has already been registered as a feed additive in many countries, with more to follow. The new methionine source will initially be available for shrimps and crustaceans but its efficiency is currently being tested for other species.

Evonik translates over 60 years of experience in manufacturing essential amino acids for animal nutrition into solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers in over one hundred countries. As Evonik now expands its scope to innovative nutritional feed additive solutions beyond amino acids, customers can count on Evonik to take nutrient effectiveness ever further and keep delivering value along with consistent quality. Around the planet, Evonik products and services are and will continue to be key to producing healthy, affordable food with fewer natural resources and a smaller environmental footprint.