R&D network and feed innovations

Understanding the nexus between animal nutrition and gut health unfolds a complex panorama beyond simple feed formulations. The gut microbiome’s symbiotic relationships, dietary-influenced metabolic pathways, and nutrient-triggered immunological responses illustrate mulitfaced nature of animal gut health, performance and well-being. This complexity requires a comprehensive approach with knowledge from diverse scientific disciplines including microbiology, biochemistry, immunology, and nutritional science. At Hankkija FFI, we’ve embraced this challenge by harnessing the power of collaborative researches. Through decades-long partnerships with world leading institutions and  research companies, we’ve pioneered advancements in feed solutions that significantly improved animal gut function and performance.

The Power of Collaborative Networks

The essence of Hankkija FFI innovation strategy is rooted in leveraging collective expertise. By uniting forces with leading research institutions and industry players for over 20 years, we’ve cultivated a fertile ground for breakthroughs in animal nutrition. This synergy not only accelerates the pace of discovery but also enriches the quality of our innovations, meeting the real-world needs of animal nutrition. Hankkija FFI’s networks and collaborations allow rapid translation of research into practical applications. This leads to the new products and technologies that farmers and producers can easily adopt.

HHankkija FFI’s networks enable rapid translation of research findings into practical applications, fostering development of new products and technologies that can be readily adopted by farmers and producers

Cultor Ltd.  – the bedrock of pioneering collaborations: world´s first enzymes and betaine

Hankkija FFI’s predecessor Cultor Ltd. was a Finnish food and feed corporation that started biotechnological research already in 1980’ies. It established a multi-disciplinary research center, which supported the product development of the business units and offered them new research tools. Development of the world’s first feed enzymes and betaine clearly showed us the benefits of the multi-disciplinary approach.

Bacterial attachment and immunity studies  with Cultor Research Centre:

The development journey of Progut® was marked by pioneering research into bacterial dynamics and immune modulation. The first method that was designed for its development was E. coli and Salmonella in vitro attachment to intestinal mucus of animals. The method helped us optimize raw materials and production processes, achieving Progut®’s notable bacterial binding efficacy.  Another new method that was developed during the early days of Progut® research was computerized image analysis for intestinal immune cells, which enables precise assessment of dietary impacts on gut immunity. Progut®’s journey from concept to market encapsulates the transformative impact of adopting advanced research techniques and the power  of partnership in translating scientific insight into tangible solutions.

Structural analysis of bioactive glycans  with Glykos Ltd.:

Glykos Ltd, established in 2004, has special expertise in bioactive carbohydrate molecules called glycans. A long-term cooperation with them took our understanding on bacterial attachment and the molecular sugar structures involved in it to the next level. Their glycan analysis from the mucus samples of broilers and E. coli susceptible and resistant piglets gave valuable information for further optimization of Progut®. The unique glycan profiling and structural characterization technics of Glykos were utilized in defining the most important sugar structures for E. coli and Salmonella binding and for further process development of Progut® products.

Microbiota research with Alimetrics Ltd.:

The collaboration with Alimetrics Ltd. has been pivotal in shedding light on the gut microbiota’s complexity. Their pioneering work has contributed immensely to our understanding of the microbiota’s role in animal health, informing our product development strategies.

• Alimetrics introduced innovative DNA analysis techniques, like G+C profiling, to study nutrition’s effects on microbiota composition.
• Joint research by Hankkija FFI, Alimetrics, and Denkavit explored the links between intestinal microbiota and animal performance. This collaboration led to the development of a Performance Linked Microbial Index, using qPCR-based bacterial analysis from international feeding trials.

Current research projects

From gut leakage to biomarkers with University of Ghent and Schothorst Feed Research

Our research endeavors continue to evolve, incorporating gene expression analysis and different cell culture models. Partnerships with the University of Ghent and Schothorst Feed Research have introduced fresh perspectives and methodologies into our product development. The use of gene expression analysis helps us to understand better what is happening in the gastrointestinal tract when different additives are included in the feed. Different cell culture models are deepening the understanding on the modes of actions of our products. New gut leakage models and collagen break-down analysis give us valuable information on the changes in intestinal tissues during inflammation processes. Development of biomarkers of intestinal inflammation, which would be inexpensive and correlate with animal performance, is one of our most recent tasks.

Contribute in aquaculture knowledge and sustainable farming practices with University of Kasetsart

Our recent studies with Kasetsart University in Bangkok revealed that our innovative products enhance growth, survival, and disease resilience in various aquatic species. These critical immunological studies on diverse pathogens and disease responses significantly enrich aquaculture knowledge and sustainable farming practices.

Hankkija FFI has invested significantly in gut health research. This investment is reinforced by the support from top independent research groups, ensuring the developed products consistently benefit animal production.Cooperation with the research partners is also increasing our own expertise, which we can share with our customers.