Nor-Feed, a company that specializes in the development, production and sales of plant-based feed additives and the SONAS, a research unit of the Angers University, have teamed up to create a joint lab called FeedInTech.
FeedInTech aims at developing precision animal nutrition by connecting human the resources, know-how and cutting-edge research equipment of both partners. Its creation results from a collaboration that started in 2008 with a research work on saponin-based plants and their benefits in animal nutrition.
FeedInTech will be, in a first step, focused on animal nutrition, at three levels:
Characterization and quantification of molecules inside an additive. Active compounds are extracted from the plant to better characterize it thanks to advanced-technologies such as nuclear magnetic resonance.
The study of mechanisms of action to focus on the physiological response of the organism of an animal whose diet has been supplemented. The goal is to have an accurate indication of the additives mode of action and to ensure the effectiveness of Nor-Feed products.
Biological modeling. FeedInTech also develops biological models with animals that are easier to handle, such as insects. This modeling will make it possible to draw parallels with farm animals, with obvious advantages in terms of cost, among others.
FeedInTech is now operational and works, for example, on citrus extracts and their benefits on the gut microbiota.
Ultimately, the LabCom, which constitutes a bridge between the world of research and that of the company, will develop research partnerships with other public or private companies, all sectors combined.