Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and Danone Launch Global Strategic Partnership to Reduce Greenhouse Gas from Dairy Industry

TOKYO, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ajinomoto Co., Inc. ("Ajinomoto Co.") and Danone announced a global strategic partnership aimed at reducing multiple sources of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from the milk supply chain. This initiative utilizes Ajinomoto Co's solution AjiPro_®-L, an innovative and world-leading lysine formulation, which in addition to aiding in the absorption of the amino acid, is also highly cost-effective and a broad-ranging GHG reduction method in the market. As a part of Danone's "Partner for Growth" program, both companies are working collaboratively to reduce GHG emissions from milk production.

Danone's partnership with Ajinomoto Co. provides it with yet another tool to reduce emissions from dairy farming. AjiPro_®-L effectively delivers lysine, an essential amino acid, to the cow's digestive system, where it can be absorbed as a nutrient. The innovative product plays a pivotal role in reducing feed costs for farmers and reducing a broad spectrum of GHG emissions from the industry. This helps not only to reduce the amount of high-protein, high-cost feed, such as soybean meal, which contains excessive amino acids, in the diet while maintaining milk production, but also to reduce the carbon footprint (e.g., carbon dioxide generated during the cultivation and procurement) associated with procuring soybean meal as a protein source by approximately 20%^*1. Additionally, it decreases nitrous oxide emissions from manure by approximately 25%^*1.

Moreover, in-vitro studies have shown that amino acid balanced feed with AjiPro_®-L in combining with a methane reduction additive can amplify the effect of the methane reduction additive by approximately 30%^*2 and is expected to contribute substantially to reducing methane emissions from cow's belches.
*1 Calculated by Ajinomoto Co., per head of cattle per year. Amount of reduction varies with farmers' feed design, etc.
*2 Using a typical methane reduction additive. Calculated by Ajinomoto Co.

Sumio Maeda, Executive Officer & Vice President, General Manager, Bio & Fine Chemicals Division  Ajinomoto Co., Inc. commented; "Leveraging our expertise in amino acids, we developed the AjiPro_®-L solution to help reduce feed costs and GHG emissions not only for our partners but for the entire dairy and beef industry. We are committed to mitigating negative impacts and expanding positive ones through strategies in line with our purpose of contributing to the well-being of all human beings, our society and our planet with 'AminoScience'." 

Jean-Yves Krummenacher, Chief Procurement Officer at Danone commented; "With partners like Ajinomoto Co., we are expanding our toolkit of solutions that we bringing to our dairy farmers that have a dual effect - on the one hand reducing on farm GHG emissions whilst on the other, supporting farmers to improve their margin, and as a result, boost their resilience."

Both companies have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and efforts are underway to introduce the solution to Danone's contracted farmers in Spain, Brazil, and the United States, as well as to Danone's own farmers in Egypt and Morocco. In the future, Ajinomoto Co. and Danone will work to incorporate the solution into tools for quantifying GHG reductions.

By steadily reducing negative impacts and promoting strategies and initiatives based on our unique scientific approach, "AminoScience", in cooperation with our partners, Ajinomoto Co. will continue to take on the challenge of creating and expanding positive impacts, including contributions to mitigating global warming, and dramatically and continuously increasing corporate value.

About AjiPro_®-L
Launched in 2011, Ajinomoto Co.'s AjiPro_®-L has been enabling the efficient delivery of lysine to the small intestine to be absorbed as nutrition. Lysine, one of the essential amino acids in the rumen of cattle, is usually broken down and was difficult to be used as a nutrition. The product, offering improved dairy productivity and improved feed efficiency supported by proprietary manufacturing technology and solid scientific knowledge. It holds the top market share^*3 of the lysine formulation for dairy cows and is used worldwide. For more information, visit https://www.ajihealthandnutrition.com/solutions/ajipro-l-2/
*3 researched by Ajinomoto Co.

The Ajinomoto Group will contribute to the well-being of all human beings, our society and our planet with "AminoScience" based on the corporate slogan "Eat Well, Live Well.". The Ajinomoto Group has offices in 34 countries and regions, and sells products in more than 130 countries and regions. In fiscal 2023, sales were 1.4392 trillion yen (9.9 billion U.S. dollars). To learn more, visit www.ajinomoto.com.

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