New enzyme technology saves up to 5% corn in ethanol

Novozymes has announced the launch of new enzyme technology that can increase ethanol yield from corn by up to 5%. The technology also increases corn oil extraction by 13%, while saving 8% energy.

The efficiency improvements can be achieved when two new enzymes, Spirizyme® Achieve and Olexa®, are used together with another Novozymes enzyme, Avantec®.

“These new enzyme innovations offer strong benefits to ethanol producers,” says Andrew Fordyce, executive vice president for business operations at Novozymes. “It allows our customers to make more from less and substantially improve their profit margins”.

A typical U.S. ethanol plant uses around 36 million bushels (900,000 tons) of feed-grade corn per year to produce 100 million gallons of fuel ethanol, 300,000 tons of animal feed (DDGS) and 8,500 tons of corn oil. By using Avantec, Olexa and Spirizyme Achieve, such a plant can save up to 1.8 million bushels (45,000 tons) of corn while maintaining the same ethanol output, increasing corn oil extraction, and generating up to $5 million in additional profit.

High yield, low risk 

Avantec was introduced in October 2012 and has been well received in the U.S. ethanol industry.

“Our customers demand risk-free options that do not require major investments,” says Fordyce. “That is exactly what our enzymes offer. We are the first to market this full package and are looking forward to implementing it together with our customers, trialing the technology at their plants, and getting the solutions out there. It’s a competitive industry and only via innovation like this can Novozymes continue to be the leading supplier of enzymes to the ethanol industry”.

Corn is the key raw material in biofuel production in the U.S. and by far the biggest cost component for an ethanol plant. After the corn is harvested, the kernels are ground into corn meal and water added to make a mash. Enzymes convert the starch in the mash to sugar, which can then be fermented to ethanol. Avantec and Spirizyme Achieve convert starch to sugar more efficiently than any other enzyme product on the market, while Olexa works by freeing up oil bound in the corn germ.

Corn oil is used in the production of animal feed, biodiesel and soaps, and has become an increasingly important revenue stream for ethanol producers. Extensive implementation of extraction technology from 2008 to 2012 has seen the industry record a nearly five-fold increase in corn oil production, according to a study by the University of Illinois. Novozymes estimates that approximately 80% of the operating ethanol capacity in the U.S. will have incorporated oil extraction into their plants by end 2013.

Ethanol fuel plant in West Burlington, Iowa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

08/04/2013: Novozymes' new CEO takes office; export cargo report indicates good US corn quality; millers gather for the 2013 division meetings

Peder Holk Nielsen has taken over as president & CEO of Novozymes. Nielsen, who replaces Steen Riisgaard in a planned transition, vows to bring more innovation to the market faster.

“I am proud and honored to lead this great company forward,” says Peder Holk Nielsen. “Novozymes is in a very strong position, and we will continue with our overall strategy. Our success rests on our ability to bring new innovation to our customers, and our ability to find new ways biotechnology can help them improve their products and make more with less. A key focus for me will be to make sure we bring these innovations to the market even faster than we do today.” 

Nielsen, 56, has played a central role in the development of Novozymes in its current form. His 28-year career in Novozymes and Novo Industri/Novo Nordisk spans management positions across business development, research and development, quality management and sales and marketing. Up until his appointment as CEO, he served as executive vice president and head of enzyme business from 2007-2013.

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The U.S. Grains Council has released the second of its annual USGC Corn Export Cargo Quality Report. Despite the severe drought in 2012 that seriously reduced the projected size of the U.S. corn crop, testing indicated the 2012 crop was superior in quality across a number of key variables to the U.S. 2011 harvest, which was itself a high quality crop.

First released in May 2012, the Export Cargo Report provides the results of tests on corn samples collected during the U.S. government-licensed sampling and inspection process for U.S. corn export shipments. This year’s report indicates that export samples had a higher test weight, lower incidence of broken corn and foreign material (BCFM) and lower moisture as compared to the 2011/12 export samples. In chemical composition, the report observed higher protein levels and lower starch, with oil content also higher.

Continuing the comparison to the previous year’s report, the 2012/13 export samples showed fewer stress cracks and a lower average stress cracks index. In addition, this year’s corn samples have higher true density, a higher proportion of whole kernels and a higher percentage of horneous or hard endosperm, which are all favorable trends.

“To enhance the quality of information we provide to export customers about the quality of the U.S. corn supply, the Council in 2011 initiated a series of annual Corn Quality Reports,” said USGC chairman Don Fast. “These are developed in two parts. First, we publish a Harvest Quality Report that surveys U.S. corn quality at harvest as it enters the marketing system. Then a follow-up report in April, the Export Cargo Quality Report, looks at the quality of the corn crop as it is assembled for export early in the marketing year.”

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More than 180 millers, associate members and industry friends attended the NAMA 2013 Division Meetings at the Hammock Besch resort in Palm Coast, FL. James M. Meyer, NAMA chairman and president of Italgrani , USA, addressed the group. During his remarks, Meyer told the group that the depth of the topics covered in the meetings and the participation of NAMA members demonstrated the value of NAMA membership. He also spoke about recent changes in the industry. "We live in interesting times, these changes are coming about because of opportunities within the industry to innovate and deliver quality products to customers," he said. 

Read more and view speaker presentations here

Coquina Rocks on Hammock Beach, Palm Coast (Photo credit: google)

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04/02/13: Global grain stocks dip; Novozymes buys Iogen Bio-Products; Indian rice mills set for modernisation

Global grain stocks are dangerously low as 2012 consumption outweighs production says the Earth Policy Institute.

The world produced 2,241 million tons of grain in 2012, a dip of 75 million tons from 2011. Global grain consumption also dropped significantly for the first time since 1995. However, overall consumption still exceeded production.

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Novozymes has bought enzyme business, Iogen Bio-Products, for CAD 67.5 million

The deal provides Novozymes with all commercial rights to Iogen Bio-Products’ existing product portfolio, pipeline, facilities and know-how. Novozymes acquires all of Iogen Corporation’s industrial enzyme business. 

More information...

Rice mills in Uttar Pradesh, India are to get state support for modernisation. The government is developing a plan to control in the milling process, so that the finished rice fetches better price.

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Grain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Danisco loses bid to delay UK trails.

Danisco has lost a bid to delay a trail in the United Kingdom in its patient battle with Novozymes over a type of enzyme which aids digestion of animal feed. Danisco, based in Denmark and a unit of DuPont Co, sought to pause the case until the European Patent Office ruled on the dispute.The UK Court of Appeal rejected Danisco’s second application to push back the trial, and for permission to use documents from the UK case in the European proceedings. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and the International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers.  To get your copy of  'PPLAPP' click here.

Danisco fined for patent infringement

Danisco, the largest producer of food additives and the second largest industrial enzyme producer has lost a court case to Novozymes over an infringement of a patent relating to biofuel production. A jury has ordered Danisco to pay US$18.3 million (€13.27 million) to Novozymes. Danisco is to challenge the ruling, Daniel Turner a spokesman for Wilmington, Delaware-based DuPont said “We are confident in our position that Novozymes’s patent is invalid”. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and the International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers.

EU patent Office sides with DuPont

Dupont and Novozymes the worlds two largest enzymes makers, have been fighting it out over patents and recently Dupont come out as the winner in their European case. The European Patent Office (EPO) has revoked Novozymes patent which covers the technology used to coat an enzyme used for animal feed. Danisco claimed that the patent was invalid and that their product did not infringe. Soonhee Jang, Danisco’s chief intellectual property counsel, said. “We are gratified and very pleased with this decision.”

Novozymes has appealed against the office’s decision and the patent will stand as granted until the EPO’s board decides on the challenge, said Annegrethe Jakobsen, a spokeswoman for the Bagsvaerd, Denmark-based company. “We still have a strong confidence in the validity of the patent,” Jakobsen said. The two companies are also locked in a US patent court case on an enzyme used in biofuel production. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and the International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers