Name:
Allmicroalgae
Developed by:
Allmicroalgae Natural Products S.A.;PORTUGAL
Country(ies) involved:
Portugal
Funding sources:
own funds and ERDF
General idea:
One of the largest European producers of microalgae, the Portuguese company Allmicroalgae – Natural Products S.A. is a leader in premium-quality microalgae biomass, food safety and innovation. The company’s production plant, which employs more than 30 highly specialized people, is located in Leiria, Portugal, from where it delivers microalgae solutions for dietary supplements, food, feed and agro applications all over the world. Optimising culture conditions to maximize production, biochemical profile and functional activities of its microalgal biomasses are at the core of the company’s R&D activities – always in line with the individual needs and suggestions of its business and industry partners. Committed to sharing knowledge and technology at the highest safety standards, Allmicroalgae produces microalgae via auto- and heterotrophic pathways where fermenters, flat-panels, tubular photobioreactors and open raceways ponds enable a large-scale production.
Description:
Portuguese microalgae producer, Allmicroalgae was initiated from a sustainable project from Secil, one of Portugal’s largest cement companies, back in 2007. The project intended to fixate the CO2 originated from the cement industry by microalgae. The first 3 years involved R&D activities to understand the potential of the project, focusing on the laboratory and pilot-scale experiments. 2013 marked the beginning of the industrial production of microalgae, with the construction of an industrial facility. In 2018, Allmicroalgae received EU Organic Certification for the production of Chlorella vulgaris, becoming the only European company with large-scale organic production. In 2020, Allmicroalgae joining forces with Greentech Group, a French pioneer in biotechnology that specializes in: plant extracts (Greentech), algal biology (Greensea) and micro-organisms (Biovitis). This new strategic shareholder, looking to Allmicroalgae’s international impact expansion, aims to boost the market and scientific outreach of the company.
The research team’s laboratories are specifically designed for autotrophic and heterotrophic experiments, from culture rooms to lab-scale reactors. The equipment necessary for chemical and biological control of the experimental cultures is also available in-house: laminar flow cabinets, environmental chamber, light and fluorescent optical microscopes, a San++ chemical analyser, among others. There is also a pilot-scale facility destined to scaled-up experiments, with flat-panels, raceway ponds, and tubular photobioreactors, ranging from 50 to 2900L.
The company creates products in three different areas: food, feeds and agricultural compounds.
ALLMA by Allmicroalgae is a Portuguese brand of microalgae commercializing supplements and food products. The brand is focused on offering the food market healthy, sustainable and premium-quality algae: Tetraselmis chui, Spirulina and, mainly, biological Chlorella vulgaris. ALLMA seeks to promote a healthy and nutritious diet, rich in vitamins and minerals, as well as the consumer well-being and happiness.
The ALLVITAE brand developed by Allmicroalgae has been working together with feed specialists to meet the specific needs of animal nutrition in terms of nutritional composition and functional benefits, focusing on the feed, aquaculture and farm animals markets, as well as for domestic animals in different ages and stages. Microalgae contain high quality and bioavailable essential nutrients, which are more and more requested by premix and feed producing companies, for different feed applications.
The ALLFERTIS brand developed by Allmicroalgae offers natural and organic biofertilizers and biostimulants composed of algae, in powder or liquid, aimed at the agricultural and gardening sectors. The preparation of these biofertilizers is made from a mixture of 100% natural and organic algae, such as Chlorella vulgaris, containing in its composition high levels of minerals, phyto-hormones and vitamins. The microalgae give vegetable crops the ideal complement, for ensure greater functionality and direct benefits for plants and crops.
TRL:
9. Actual system proven in operational environment
Sources:
literature review