Novozymes invests in UV pasteurisation technology from Lyras, boosting sustainability efforts

Biotech group Novozymes, a global market leader in industrial enzymes, has invested in a new, energy-saving UV filtration system from Lyras, a Danish company specialising in sustainable pasteurisation technology.

Following a rigorous testing period, the group has purchased its first UV-based Raslysation system to replace its existing, labour-intensive filtration processes.

Novozymes’ investment in Lyras’ Raslysation technology will help the group reduce energy consumption, bolstering its sustainable strategies, while providing a safe working environment for employees and improving control of unwanted microbial activity during the filtration process.

Steen Skaebaek, Senior Director at Novozymes said: “As many enzymes cannot withstand high temperatures, our legacy equipment was primarily made up of classic depth-filtration to remove the bioburden in our products. However, this meant our employees replaced heavy sets of filter plates daily as part of the purification process.

“Raslysation removes the need for this process, while helping us take more control of how we create our product. We’re also expecting to see a difference in our next energy bill. Raslysation fits into our green strategy in every way. It’s likely that, with time, the next step will be to install more of Lyras’ UV technology at several of our global sites that produce high-value enzymes and proteins for the food industry.”

Nete Zarp Nielson, CTO at Lyras added: “You have to give large, respected companies like Novozymes props for leading by example and integrating new and green technologies. Novozymes has been a fantastic partner in the process of testing and designing the optimal solution. We are proud that together, we have created the basis for a system that a company with Novozymes’ high level of research would want to invest in and use globally in future.”

Raslysation is a non-thermal treatment that uses UV light at a specific wavelength to pasteurise opaque liquid food and non-food products, including dairy, juice and enzymes. The liquid is directed past the light source in a controlled movement so that everything is illuminated to inactivate bacteria and other microorganisms.

Founded in 2017, Lyras was built on three years of research into sustainable pasteurisation processes and the development of its Raslysation technology alongside public health experts, academics and figures in the dairy and juice industries.

Lyras' technology has already been sold to companies in the US, Australia, Spain, Sweden and Denmark that operate within the dairy, juice and industrial fermentation industries. In the spring, the method was chosen to secure one of the world's most expensive dairy products, namely the protein lactoferrin, which is used, among other things, in infant formula. Its team of 68 is based in North Jutland, Denmark and recently won the EY Future Impact Award 2021.

For more information about Lyras, please visit lyras.com