Liquid fertilizer process

Besides thermal hydrolysis, ILSA has fine-tuned an enzymatic hydrolysis process over the years which can be applied to raw materials of animal or plant origin. This type of hydrolysis is positively characterized by its ability to free amino acids and peptides in a mainly levorotatory form, which is a form that is more biologically active and useful for plants.

The raw material is dispersed in water inside storred bio-reactors equipped with temperature, weight and pH control. A selected enzymatic pool is subsequently introduced, made up of specific proteolytic enzymes (i.e. that that cut the proteins thus catalysing the protein hydrolysis), and cellulolytic enzymes (which allow the splitting of the cellulose present in biomasses and facilitate the rupture of the cell walls of plant cells). The reaction mixture thus obtained is maintained under constant stirring at a temperature (55-60 °C) which is most suitable for the bio-catalytic activity of the enzymes. The mixture remains in these conditions for up to 12 hours, depending on the type of raw material and characteristics of the desired finished product.

When enzymatic reaction has terminated, the liquid suspension is successively subjected to centrifugation, clarification and filtration. The liquid fraction thus obtained is subjected to concentration in a falling film vacuum evaporation plant until reaching the desired concentration in protein substance.

In this last phase, deactivation of the enzymatic pool also takes place simultaneously. After a further filtration of the product, stabilised, clear and free of sediments, it is sent for final storage. From the FCEH^® process ILSA obtains GELAMIN^® and VIRIDEM^®.

GELAMIN^®, a fluid gelatin for agricultural use, is obtained by means of this process of enzymatic hydrolysis of raw materials rich in collagen. Attacked by a pool of specific enzymes (stereo selective),
the protein chains of collagen, a material which is particularly rich in protein, break according to defined criteria and in a manner that is always replicable. GELAMIN^® is the ideal raw material for the formulation of fertilizers suitable for fertigation and for foliar treatment with nutritional compounds immediately available to the plant. It is characterised by its high biostimulant, complexing and carrier properties.

VIRIDEM^® is the ILSA programme that incorporates the company's scientific heritage for the development of its plant-based biostimulants with the clear philosophy: "From plants, for plants". VIRIDEM^® encapsulates the most advanced knowledge of molecular biology, microbiology, proteomics, metabolomics, physiology, chemistry and bio-processes which, over years of work, have made it possible to identify, isolate, purify, analyse and extract the metabolites and natural substances that have become the basis of its latest products for the biostimulation of crops.