Arbiom, an agricultural-biotechnology company developing solutions to convert wood into food, today announced the results of a recently completed research trial evaluating Arbiom’s SylPro, a high-quality alternative protein ingredient for healthy dog nutrition. In collaboration with Four Rivers Kennel, and based on guidelines set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), a dog maintenance study was designed to compare Arbiom’s protein product, SylPro, to chicken meal, a conventional protein ingredient in dogfood. The study evaluated the nutritional performance of SylPro in adult dog food.
Over the course of the 26-week trial, the body weight, clinical observations and critical blood values were determined, as well as stool quality assessed in a colony of eight adult Labrador retrievers.
“The study results validate that Arbiom’s protein product can be a nutritional, sustainable, natural, and traceable alternative protein ingredient for use in adult dog food,” said Dr. Craig Coon, President of Four Rivers Kennel and Professor at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.
SylPro is a yeast single-cell protein (SCP) that is produced using wood-derived media in fermentation and final downstream processing to achieve appropriate properties as a viable replacement for animal or grain-based protein ingredients. Arbiom’s product has been developed to provide a high-quality protein source that is better for animals and for the planet.
The study results fulfilled AAFCO requirements set forth for weight maintenance and health in adult dogs. Further, stool quality was significantly improved in dogs fed SylPro over the course of the trial, showing a one-point improvement by the end of the study (1-5 scale). These findings indicate that SylPro can be used to replace chicken meal in dog food and deliver equivalent nutritional performance. Additionally, results from a previous study indicated that SylPro confers additional functional benefits as a binder, allowing formulators to reduce the need for soy or wheat as binding agents.
“We saw promising results compared to the control diet in our dogs’ acceptance of the new food and overall health and performance,” Dr. Coon said.
“The results of these studies highlight the potential of SylPro as a nutritional protein ingredient for companion animal food. We are excited to continue research and development initiatives to bring this high-performance, alternative protein ingredient to the market,” said Ricardo Ekmay, PhD, Vice President of Nutrition for Arbiom.
