KitoZyme obtains U.S. EPA approval for its biopesticide KitoGreen^®

Date:03-23-2022

KitoZyme, the pioneer and global leader of high-quality fungal chitosan has been granted approval for its KitoGreen^® products by the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) as biopesticides for multiple applications and crops.
 
KitoGreen^® is a unique technology that has been developed by KitoZyme to offer more sustainable options for farmers who are looking for greener antibacterial, antifungal, or nematicide alternative products. According to EPA, KitoGreen^® is a product containing 85% chitosan derived from fungal origin and other ingredients derived from the same fungal source. KitoGreen^® is patented and it is based on the valorization of co-products of the food industry, as well as being 100% non-animal, non-GMO, vegan, and non-toxic for the environment.

“This is a very important milestone for our company, as it clearly marks the start of a new business area for our technologies, besides our key pillars in winemaking & health,” explains François Luthers, Chief Operations Officer. “We are proud to bring greener, safer, and more efficient products to the industry and all users both in the US and across the globe.”

KitoZyme has already proven the efficacy of its compound for the prevention and the treatment of fungal diseases on a wide variety of crops, including vegetables, grapes, berries, and sports turfs, and the company is continuously strengthening its scientific knowledge, as Guillaume Deleixhe, Business Development Manager, explains: “KitoZyme will further advance the science of KitoGreen^®, either on a stand-alone basis or in partnerships with our customers. Besides foliar applications, we already have good data for seed treatment and we are aware that it could also be a very good fit post-harvest. The great news is that those applications are already included in the EPA approval.”

The Belgium-based company is now working on some state-level approvals and it is investigating the best commercial options to make its products available for users in the US as soon as possible.

François Luthers concludes: “Obviously, the US is a major market for us, and we need to find the most suitable local partners to develop it. Meanwhile, in parallel, KitoZyme is very close to obtaining new market authorizations in the European Union and some other countries. We hope to be getting more green lights in the coming weeks.”