10131745Construction of a poultry feed pellet using Yeast Protein Concentrate (YPC)ClosedBusiness ConnectInnovate UKProtein Concentrate (YPC). This new feed aims to substantially reduce the reliance on imported soya, which is both costly and carbon-intensive. The challenge involves developing a viable feed pellet that combines YPC with supplementary UK-grown protein sources such as legumes or lupin. For egg-laying birds YPC can only constitute 40-50% of the protein content. **Developing the Formula:** We have developed a least cost feed formulation tool which can optimize the nutrient requirements vs the cost and carbon footprint for the main commercial animal species including pigs, broilers and layers. Our tool allows us to balance the nutritional requirements vs cost vs carbon footprint to our level of preference with local ingredient data input. In addition, our team has experience in ensuring that feed safety and shelf life can be achieved to maximise functionality. **Overcoming Aqueous Nature of YPC:** We have been working with an international partner company and have a licensing arrangement for their innovative drying technique, which uses a natural enzyme to remove moisture from food processing waste while preserving nutritional content and bioactivity and has been shortlisted for the prestigious Earthshot Prize. This is a heat/energy free process which has been proven to be highly effective in tropical environments but also shown to work in cooler lab-based set-ups. We would need to adapt the inclusion rates for this process based on the feedstock, moisture content, external temperature and humidity to achieve the desired drying times which will be a major focus of the project, especially if we need to run multiple trials with different temperature and humidity conditions to mimic the seasonal changes in Scotland. The benefits of this low energy drying process should provide a significant cost advantage versus other technologies. **Feed Production & Testing:** Once we have proven the drying process and received price data for local ingredients, we will run the formulation-tool to incorporate other additives to ensure the feed retains its nutritional integrity and does not undergo detrimental heat-induced changes, resulting in high-quality pellets suitable for egg laying hens. In the scope and time of this pilot-project we can conduct provisional palatability and acceptance tests with layers, more detailed and certified tests may need to follow after.