ADM opened an aquaculture innovation laboratory in Decatur, Illinois. The first trials of the lab are expected to begin in the first quarter of the year.

Animal nutrition company ADM, announced the opening of its Aquaculture Innovation Lab at the Animal Nutrition Technology Center (ANTC) in Decatur, Illinois. The laboratory extends the company’s international research and development capabilities to a new region and builds on existing aquaculture research facilities located in Brazil, Mexico and Vietnam.

“The opening of this new wet lab demonstrates our commitment to scientific discovery, bringing expanded capabilities to our competitive aqua innovation network worldwide,” said Nuria Miquel, Ph.D., Vice President, R&D, ADM Animal Nutrition. “It also reinforces knowledge-sharing between our animal and human nutrition colleagues, allowing our innovation projects to benefit from a central hub of expertise.”

Housed within the 12,000 sq. ft. ANTC facility, aqua researchers will have access to a pilot lab that allows production of commercial-equivalent feeds for rapid prototyping of new technologies, such as feed ingredients and additives that can increase production efficiency, mitigate environmental impact and improve animal health and welfare. In addition, the ANTC is strategically located near ADM’s James R. Randal Research Center and ADM production facilities in Decatur.

“This location positions the new aquaculture lab at the heart of our innovation capabilities and the project lifecycle teams that drive nutrition breakthroughs, from concept to commercialization,” said John Bowzer, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist in Aquaculture and on-site director of the Aquaculture Innovation Lab.

ADM’s aqua facilities in Latin America and Southeast Asia include outdoor research labs for shrimp and fish in large, farm-like systems. The unique flexibility of the North American lab is designed for upstream research and product development. At the Aquaculture Innovation Lab, trials can be conducted with a variety of target species and segments, including various water temperature and salinity with tight control over water quality conditions, fish performances, and behavior and health status. Its first trials are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2022.