Solid-State Fermentation
A Proprietary Processing Approach
AENON is developing a proprietary solid-state fermentation (SSF) process to transform red seaweed substrates into a bioactive feed additive for enteric methane reduction in ruminants.
What is Solid-State Fermentation?
Solid-State Fermentation (SSF) is a fermentation process conducted on a solid substrate with controlled moisture — as opposed to submerged liquid fermentation where the substrate is dissolved in water.
SSF has a long history in traditional fermented foods — miso, koji, tempeh — and is widely used in industrial enzyme, feed, and bioactive compound production.
For seaweed-based feed applications, AENON is developing SSF as the core processing pathway, chosen for its compatibility with red seaweed substrates and the bioactive compound profiles it produces.
Why Solid-State Fermentation
for Seaweed?
Red seaweed species contain distinctive polysaccharide fractions that present specific challenges for conventional fermentation approaches. AENON's SSF process is designed to work with these properties rather than against them.
The SSF process is designed for compatibility with the physical and chemical properties of red seaweed, maintaining substrate integrity throughout fermentation.
SSF conditions support the production and preservation of the bioactive sulphated polysaccharide fractions responsible for the observed methane-reducing activity.
Solid-state fermentation infrastructure is well-established in the feed ingredient industry, supporting a scalable production pathway.
The dried SSF product is designed for direct blending into total mixed rations (TMR) or compound feed premix without protocol changes at the farm.
From Seaweed to Feed Additive
What the SSF Process Enables
SSF processing transforms the seaweed substrate and activates sulphated polysaccharide fractions that would not be as available from unprocessed seaweed alone.
Fermentation metabolites generated during SSF contribute to the indirect mechanism of methane reduction — redirecting metabolic hydrogen toward propionate synthesis in the rumen.
- •Sulphated polysaccharide fragments (Direct Mechanism)
- •Short-chain organic acid metabolites (Indirect Mechanism)
- •Enhanced bioavailability of cell wall bioactives
- •Stable dry powder ready for feed integration
- •Methanogenic archaea inhibition
- •Propionate pathway activation
- •~50% CH₄ reduction observed in-vitro
- •Total VFA maintained (no digestion suppression)
In-vitro results are preliminary and do not guarantee equivalent in-vivo performance. Animal validation is planned for Q4 2026.
Technical Information for Partners
Detailed process parameters, strain information, formulation data, and technical documentation are available to qualified industry partners and researchers under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
If you represent a feed manufacturer, livestock producer, or research institution and wish to explore technical collaboration, please contact us directly.