Production of a Kelp-Based Plant Biostimulant Supplement Product: Fermentation Studies and Chemical Analysis

Keltsmaht Kelp是一家由原住民领导的公司，专门生产优质和有机海带产品，总部设在不列颠哥伦比亚省Nuu-Chah-Nulth Hahoulthee(领地)的中心，也被称为大托菲诺地区。Camosun Innovates是Camosun College的应用研究小组，在过去的二十年里一直积极参与先进制造和产品开发，重点是帮助当地公司解决与制造相关的产品开发或质量问题。他们所有的海藻，Macrocystis Ingrifolia，都是在Clayoquot Sound的原始海岸可持续地手工收获，并在不列颠哥伦比亚省托菲诺进行手工加工。他们的收获许可证是基于Clayoquot Sound的当前研究。他们的主要产品海带益生菌是一种由野生海带制成的有机生物刺激剂，已证明对大型果蔬种植者、家庭花园和小规模种植者以及草坪和室内使用非常成功。这款产品通过以下方式显著提高作物的表现和产量：由于存在高浓度的天然植物激素，促进营养生长和果实扩大；由于存在海带、维生素、甜菜碱、甘露醇和其他多糖，促进作物新陈代谢和刺激快速从胁迫条件中恢复；以及通过海藻酸和甘露醇作为络合剂对营养物质产生载体作用，增强植物对营养的吸收。该公司之前的研发工作包括创造新的加工技术，测试和创造多种成功的配方，以及实施新的包装。目前，需要研究通过研究糖底物、芽孢杆菌培养物和海带饲料来优化发酵速度，这将极大地影响海带的前进；缩短发酵时间将使产量增加。植物生物刺激剂通过多种机制来建设健康的土壤和植物，例如通过添加腐植酸和富里酸来增加土壤有机质的含量。有益的微生物区系也有所增加，如可用作生物杀虫剂和生物肥料的根瘤菌。以海藻为基础的产品可以为土壤提供微量和大量的营养素，并缓冲pH值。一般来说，发酵原料含有大量营养物质，适合用作农业肥料，这是有充分证据的。开发和精炼生产流程将使该公司能够以更快的速度扩大规模，并最终将更多当地制造的农产品引入加拿大农业部门。要解决的主要研究挑战是红糖和未硫化糖蜜对发酵过程的影响。主要成果包括改进了对发酵速率的理解，当改变关键参数时，如糖蜜和红糖，红糖是发酵的底物。其他调查领域包括开始养殖的数量以及海带的切碎。最后，获得每个发酵实验的详细化学分析概况将使人们能够就最佳的整体工艺做出决定。这项研究对Naas Foods业务的其他方面也有价值，Naas Foods涉及海带食品，并正在开发一种发酵的海带饮料。这些信息可以用来改进我们未来饮料产品的工艺和生产。

Keltsmaht Kelp is a First Nations led company specializing in premium and organic kelp products, based in the heart of The Nuu-Chah-Nulth Hahoulthee (Territory), also known as the greater Tofino area of British Columbia. Camosun Innovates is the applied research group at Camosun College and has been actively involved in advanced manufacturing and product development over the past twenty years, with a focus on assisting local companies with product development or quality issues associated with manufacturing. All of their kelp, Macrocystis integrifolia, is sustainably hand-harvested off the pristine coast of Clayoquot Sound and hand-processed in Tofino, BC. Their harvest license is based off of current research in Clayoquot Sound. Their main product, Kelp Probiotic, is an organic biostimulant made from wild kelp that has demonstrated great success for large scale fruit and vegetable growers, home gardens and small-scale growers, as well as lawn and indoor use. This product significantly increases crop performance and yield by: increasing vegetative growth and fruit enlargement due to the presence of highly concentrated natural phyto-hormones; accelerating crop metabolism and stimulating fast recovery from stress conditions, due to the presence of Laminariales, vitamins, betaines, mannitol and other polysaccharides, and; producing carrier effect on nutrients with alginic acid and mannitol that act as complexing agents enhancing nutrients uptake into the plant. The company's previous research and development work includes creating novel processing techniques, testing and creating multiple successful formulas, and implementing novel packaging. Currently, research is needed to optimize fermentation rate by studying the sugar substrate, the bacillus culture, and the kelp feedstock; this will greatly affect how Keltsmaht Kelp moves forward; decreases fermentation time will allow increases in production output. Plant biostimulants work to build healthy soil and plants through numerous mechanisms such as increasing the soil organic matter content by adding in humic and fulvic acid. There is also an increase in the beneficial microflora such as Rhizobium bacteria which can act as a biopesticide and biofertilizer. Seaweed based products can feed the soil with micro and macronutrients and buffer the pH. In general it is well documented that fermented materials contain significant nutrients and are suitable as a fertilizer for agriculture. Developing and refining production processes will allow the company to scale at a faster rate and ultimately introduce more locally-made agriculture products into the Canadian agriculture sector. The main research challenge to address is the impact of brown sugar vs unsulphured molasses on the fermentation process. Main deliverables include improved understanding of fermentation rates when varying key parameters such as molasses vs brown sugar, which is the substrate for fermentation. Other areas of inquiry include the quantity of starting culture as well as the chopping of the kelp. Lastly, obtaining a detailed chemical analysis profile for each of the fermentation experiments will allow decisions to be made regarding the best overall process. This research has value to other aspects of the business, Naas Foods, which is involved in kelp food and is working on a fermented kelp drink. This information could be used to refine the process and production of our future drink products.