INNOVATION Alternative Proteins Magazine April 2025 57 product is shipped from FreezeM’s German production facility and is designed for seamless storage and activation by end-users. These features are critical in maintaining consistency within industrial BSF production systems. EXTENDING PauseM® SHELF LIFE TO 21 DAYS PauseM® has been successfully implemented across a wide range of facilities, from small-scale growers to large industrial plants. The initial 14-day shelf life enabled global shipments; however, extending shelf life was the next logical step in product development. A 21-day shelf life significantly enhances logistical flexibility, allowing greater control over activation timing while reducing shipping costs by increasing batch shipment sizes. The key challenge in extending shelf life was to maintain high survival rates without altering the product’s fundamental composition, storage requirements, shipping stability, or user application protocols. DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF PauseM® VERSION II Early trials (PauseM® Version I) demonstrated that while neonate survival at 21 days was approximately 60% (with high variability), consistency and stability remained an issue (Figure 1). To address this, a series of controlled modifications were introduced, with test units containing 50,000 neonates incubated at 20°C and 70% relative humidity for 21 days. Upon activation, neonates were fed high-quality substrates and reared for eight days before being counted to assess survival rates. Survival rates were compared across PauseM® Version I and three modified formulations (Figure 1). While all experimental variants demonstrated some improvement, only one consistently achieved survival rates exceeding 90%. Importantly, this improved setup maintained the same preparation, seeding, and activation protocols as the original product. Validation trials at multiple industrial facilities confirmed these findings. ENHANCING SCALABILITY Subsequently, PauseM® Version II was tested for its capacity to support increased neonate densities. Higher neonate densities per unit can enhance operational efficiencies, particularly for facilities utilising large rearing trays. PauseM® Version I maintained high survival rates for 75,000 neonates for only 10 days, with survival declining to approximately 80% at 14 days—a limitation for industrial-scale applications. In contrast, PauseM® Version II consistently achieved survival rates above 90% for 75,000 neoFeed Type Version I Survival Rate (%) 100 90 80 70 60 50 Test I 50K Neonate Survival After 21 Days in Different PauseM® Units Test II Test III Figure 1. 50,000 neonates were seeded into PauseM® units in different setups. Units were incubated for 21 days in constant conditions of 20C and 70% RH. After suspensions, neonates were grown on chicken feed for 8 days. Survival rates are calculated as a percent of the neonate number that was seeded
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