Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals, a South San Francisco-based microalgae-derived food ingredients company, strikes an exclusive European commercial agency agreement for their food products, with global food ingredient parent company, Roquette. The agreement will start with the commercialization of whole algalin flour, Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals’ lead ingredient, in the 27 member countries of the European Union. This agreement marks the imminent availability of whole algalin flour in Europe.

Solazyme says the whole food ingredient significantly improves the nutritional profile of foods, and can substantially reduce calorie and fat content without sacrificing taste or texture. Described as a healthy lipid alternative, acting as more fat than it is, whole algalin flour acts as a solution for improving the nutritional profiles of a multitude of applications, such as bakery, beverages and frozen desserts. As a whole food ingredient, the flour is very low in saturated fat, is trans-fat-free, cholesterol-free and can considerably reduce calories, as well as provide fiber and protein, according to the company.

“Whole algalin flour, allows formulators the ability to develop consumer products with unprecedented nutritional profile while maintaining excellent taste,” says Jodie Morgan, president and general manager of Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals. “Roquette provides tremendous support and access to the largest markets in Europe, and their proven success as an ingredient supplier makes them an ideal commercial agent for this breakthrough ingredient.”

“We look forward to a successful European launch this spring,” says Patrick Lapointe, director of nutrition business unit at Roquette. In 2012, Solazyme, Inc. and Roquette Frères, a French family group with an international dimension that processes plant-based raw materials, formed a joint venture that combined Roquette's history and capabilities as a global food ingredient supplier with Solazyme's highly innovative microalgae-based technology. Earlier this year, Roquette started to produce in Lestrem (France) the microalgae-derived food ingredient, whole algalin flour, for the account of Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals.