Olmix Group’s most advanced seaweed technologies: immunomodulatory and antibacterial activities of algae extracts

Dozens of nutritionists, formulation and technical specialists and representatives from major feed mills, swine and poultry farms in North and South of Vietnam gathered together in Ho Chi Minh City (July 14) and Hanoi (July 17) to participate in a two-day seminar hosted by Olmix Group to discuss immunity and antibacterial strategies. The event counted on renowned professional experts from France and Nong Lam University, who offered innovative perspectives, evidences and solutions to improve animal’s performance and welfare while contributing to the reduction of the use of antibiotics.

Towards antibiotic-free production

The use of antibiotics in husbandry is a hot topic that is raising concern, thus leading to a clear demand for alternative reliable solutions. Positive effects of antibiotics as growth promoter or as therapeutic treatments in animals cannot be denied, but as antibiotics are of fundamental importance to human health, their effectiveness must be preserved! This will only be achieved through a regulated, rational and controlled use and only as a last recourse in therapeutic treatments together with an effective use of alternative antibacterial agents or natural health supporting solutions. Farm management is also a key to succeed in this approach.

In recent years, more and more countries are limiting the use of antibiotics as growth promoters as a policy to prevent antibiotic resistance in human beings. Vietnam is facing the increasingly risk of antimicrobial resistance, which results from using a massive and uncontrolled amount of antibiotics in animal production.

All these aspects were highlighted by Associate Professor Vo Thi Tra An from Nông Lâm University in her presentation entitled ‘The real story about antibiotics and animal production in Vietnam’:

“Antibiotics are used as growth promoters and for disease prevention and treatment. It will maybe take 10 or 20 years to fully ban antibiotics. So, antibiotic-free farming is still a long way off. It is time to look at sustainable alternatives", she said.

Then, it was Dr Pi Nyvall Collen, Olmix Group’s Scientific Director, who took up the torch to describe how algae are to be used to tackle this antibiotic-free issue through her presentation on ‘algae extracts: powerful biological properties’, where she also gave an overview of Olmix Group’s macroalgae biorefinery and extraction technologies

“Olmix Group is an expert in algae processing from harvest to final innovative products. Olmix has developed a complete marine algae processing chain and a unique biorefinery process, allowing the extraction of innovative biologically active molecules, named MSP®”.

So… what are MSP^®?

MSP^® is the brand name given to specific sulfated polysaccharides extracted by Olmix Group from the cell wall of marine macroalgae. These polysaccharides can be extracted from green seaweeds (Ulvan), red seaweeds (Carrageenans) or brown seaweeds (Fucoidans). MSP^®’s complex, polyanionic structure, including sulfate groups gives them unique biological activities (immunomodulation, antioxidant, antiviral, and antibacterial, among others). The extraction of specific molecular fractions (by size, molecular weight, degree of sulfation…) is the key to ensure targeted effects on plants, animals and humans. Nowadays the biological activities of Olmix’s MSP^® enable to develop innovative solution for immunity, digestive welfare and digestive efficiency.

Then, these MSP^® allow Olmix Group to come up with natural tools, solutions and strategies to reduce the use of antibiotics not only in Asia, but all around the world, as Dr Michel Guillaume, Olmix Group’s Technical Director in Asia, explained:

Algimun, another optimal solution based on Olmix Group's unique MSP^® technology that boost animal defenses for optimized and secured performance, was presented by Mrs Danièle Marzin, Olmix Group’s Marketing Director:

“In intensive modern production systems, animals are constantly challenged by density, environmental stress (heat stress), pathogens, feed quality, feed and house transitions, vaccination programmes... This results in low immunity and gut health, hence the importance to support animals is huge! This is even as important as reducing the use of antibiotics. With unique characteristics: 100% from marine algae, renewable resource and patented, scientifically published mode of action and established performance, Algimun combines the properties of two MSP^® to boost animal's defenses”.

• MSP^®_BARRIER acts mainly by strengthening the tight junctions but also acts to repair a damaged mucus layer. Together these to actions allow to reduce the passage of pathogens over the intestinal epithelium, strengthening the first barrier of the immune system.
• MSP^®_IMMUNITY has been shown to bind on specific membrane receptors TLR4 and TLR2 inducing a signal transduction to the nucleus that activates transcription of specific cytokines and chemokines impacting both innate and adaptive immunity.