Strengthened natural defenses for optimized performance, Thanks to Algae!
Founded 20 years ago in Brehan, Brittany (France), Olmix Group has become one of the major global specialists in marine biotechnology and green chemistry and offers algae-based solutions to plants, animals and humans to build a healthy food chain, based on circularity, reduction of pesticide, antibiotic and chemical additive use. Its mission is to make an effective use of macroalgae, an abundant untapped resource to promote sustainable food. This approach guides the company’s teams worldwide in their work of extracting value from green, red and brown algae.
“The secret to Olmix Group’s success has been our visionary approach, identifying marine algae as a renewable raw material with unexpected potential to help feeding 9 billion people sustainably by 2050”. Hervé Balusson, Olmix Group founder and CEO.
The potential in the 3 core businesses is huge and the group is recognized as a dynamic company!
Renowned specialist in Mycotoxin Risk…
Olmix Animal Care teams have been known worldwide on the field for many years for their expertise and global approach in MYCOTOXIN RISK MANAGEMENT. The company has developed a full range of solutions based on a patented innovative Algae-Clay association able to deal with complex mycotoxins such as fumonisins and deoxynivalenol. The products are supported by a panel of tools helping the industry addressing this complex subject.
”“The Myco'Tools cover from the identification of the risk on the field, confirmed by appropriate analysis of the feed ingredients and practical interpretation of the results, to the optimization of Olmix product dosage in the feed”
Ms Julia Laurain,Olmix's mycotoxin risk specialist.
Now targeting immunity
In the first place, Olmix Group was using algae extracts for their structuring properties. For 10 years now, the focus has been identifying and evaluating the biological activities of algae extracts. Indeed, macroalgae are rich in sulfated polysaccharides known for their diverse activities such as antioxidant, antitumoral, antiviral, antimicrobial… Olmix has developed a strong know-how in the selective extraction of macroalgae active principles to ensure a targeted effect on animals.
Olmix is thus now launching Algimun®, based on a synergistic association of biologically active sulfated polysaccharides extracted from marine algae (Olmix MSP®), thanks to innovative Olmix technology.
Immunity has been identified as a priority for research as it is the challenge of modern productions. Proper immune response is a key to make animals healthier and better able to face daily challenges. It is even more important in the aim of reducing the use of antibiotics in livestock.
To build Antibiotic free programs, thanks to Algae !
Algimun® will clearly take important part to reinforce the antibiotic free program, Thanks to Algae, that Olmix has been developing on the field for some years now. With industrial partners, Olmix has succeeded in the production of pigs, broilers and turkeys raised without antibiotics, Thanks to Algae!
Olmix algal biorefinery process: unique, patented, proven… to make the difference! To secure its innovative advance and the whole valorization chain, Olmix has built a full biorefinery process of macroalgae, from their harvest to the final product. Ideally located at the heart of Brittany close to the harvesting zones and to the most advanced research center on algae (CNRS in Roscoff) Olmix has strong competitive advantages!
Processing Breton algae…
With 700 different species, and more than 500 000 MT biomass available every year, the Breton coast represents an incredible resource of renewable raw material! Moreover, high tides and strong currents guaranty the quality and richness of macroalgae in nutritional and biological components. The challenge is to efficiently collect, extract, select and use the active principles for targeted applications! Olmix has worked on the process of macroalgae for 10 years, ensuring an environmentally friendly harvest, targeting more precisely the annual species, often considered as pollutants and developing extraction processes using only mechanical steps and water as solvent.
…To get innovative molecules
Macroalgae contain unsuspected treasures. They are rich (up to 70% of the dry matter) in carbohydrates, including sulfated polysaccharides. Olmix innovative processes have led to their selective extraction (Olmix’s MSP®).
MSP® specificity stands in the complexity of their structure. Indeed, they are mainly branched polysaccharides, composed of various and some rare sugar units (xylose, rhamnose). Moreover, these sugars can be sulfated, conferring them a special reactivity. The whole of these parameters shows a phylogenic similarity with polysaccharides from the animal kingdom (GAG’s – glucosaminoglucans) such as heparin, known for its numerous biological properties, thus explaining their unique activities. Sulfated polysaccharides reactivity, hence their biological properties, varies a lot according to the type of sugars and linkage they contain, their level of sulfation and their molecular weight. Therefore, several sulfated polysaccharides with distinct biological activities can be found in macroalgae. Then, the key is to be able to selectively extract them and ensure a targeted effect on animals.
With proven biological activities
Olmix has worked with several renowned research institutes to characterize and evaluate the biological activities of its several MSP®.
The ALGOLIFE project (public research project), built in partnership with Roscoff CNRS studying algae for more than 50 years has allowed to better characterize algae extracts and link their structure with their biological activities.
Further research in collaboration with INRA (French national public institute for agronomic research) led to the demonstration of MSP® effect on immune mediator modulation in cellular models, including the identification of the metabolic pathways involved in this activation. (Berri et al. 2016 and 2017). This specific extract, originated from green algae was then named MSP®IMMUNITY.
A research study conducted at IBD (Intestinal Biotech Development, France), allowed to identify a red algae extract able to improve gut epithelium integrity by triggering the production of mucins and reinforcing tight junctions. The extract, now named MSP®BARRIER strengthens the first line of defense of animals against pathogens.
ALGIMUN®: latest OLMIX algae-based innovation TO STREGTHEN ANIMAL’S DEFENSES FOR OPTIMIZED PERFORMANCE
- Synergistic combination for comprehensive solution
- Algimun® strategically associates two MSP® issued from OLMIX research to fully target main production challenges: gut health and immunity. The objective is to make the animals resilient to better face daily challenges and fully express their genetic potential.
- Algimun® associates MSP®BARRIER which enhances the barrier function of the intestinal mucosa to reduce the translocation of pathogens and MSP®IMMUNITY which constitutes an innovative modulating agent that reinforces innate and adaptive immune responses.
- For consistent results and benefits for producers
Algimun® efficacy was proven in vivo in research stations and in field conditions with different types of challenges (Europe, Asia…). Evaluated parameters included immune status of the animals, but also technical and economic performance.
In an independent research trial performed in France on broilers, ALGIMUN® significantly improved growth performance at day 35 (+68g, P<0.01; -2pts in FCR, P<0.05). Moreover, while improving immune function (+75% in serum IgA, P<0.05), ALGIMUN® improved gut health resulting in lower pododermatitis score. In Asian (Nong Lam University, Vietnam), ALGIMUN® also proved its support to the development of the adaptive immune response in broilers (decreased heterophil to lymphocyte ratio after vaccination).
Applied on the field (large scale trial involving more than 400 000 standard broilers) through feed supplementation, ALGIMUN® proved to improve broilers performance (+ 2% ADG, -2 FCR, +3%PEF) while reducing mortality rate (-4.5%) with an increased net benefit of 0.03€ per broiler compared to the control.
Algimun® application in the feed (all species) during the whole cycle and more particularly in early stages when animals are the most sensitive, improves gut health and immune response for optimized performance and profitability.
