This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 11, 2025 - August 17, 2025

Can discarded chicken feathers help reduce Malaysia’s reliance on imported animal feed? Hidayah Shahidan thinks so. Through her biotech start-up Synbiozymes Sdn Bhd — backed by Khazanah Nasional’s impact arm Yayasan Hasanah, among others — Hidayah wants to prove that a local innovation, which is an amalgamation of research in bioconversion and traditional fermentation knowledge, can be key to building a more self-sufficient and sustainable agriculture sector.

Synbiozymes leverages biotechnology to transform chicken feathers, which is an underutilised poultry by-product, into chicken feed. Through a proprietary enzymatic process using alkaline enzymes under controlled temperatures, the tough keratin structure in feathers is broken down into smaller, functional compounds.

“This process yields two main outputs — a solid protein hydrolysate, which is further processed into a digestible, high-protein ingredient for animal feed, and a liquid hydrolysate rich in amino acids, which is formulated into a foliar biostimulant fertiliser,” says Hidayah.

The chicken feed, developed in collaboration with Synbiozymes’ co-founder and chief operating officer Akhmal Hakim, addresses several challenges at once: reducing agricultural waste, offering a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to imported animal feed, and minimising the environmental footprint of fertiliser production.

Akhmal, a biochemist and also the founder of biotechnology firm Novoklon Sdn Bhd, proposed exploring the use of chicken feathers as a raw material for sustainable agriculture during the brainstorming sessions at a mentorship programme run by global venture capital firm Antler. The event was organised in partnership with Khazanah Nasional Bhd to support local start-up ecosystem programmes through collaborations with domestic and international partners.

It was kismet, and Synbiozymes was born.

Founded by Akhmal in 2020, Novoklon produces over 400 types of microbial biomass, enzymes and metabolites designed to support organic farming and reduce chemical dependency. Its expertise in enzyme formulation and fermentation processes laid the groundwork for Synbiozymes’ bioconversion technology.

Drawing on this knowledge, Akhmal proposed transforming chicken feathers into animal feed and fertiliser for agricultural use.

“Malaysians consume chicken the most out of all meats. The by-product of that is we have a lot of chicken feathers. Most of the chicken feathers are discarded and dumped in landfills or incinerators. Some companies turn them into fertilisers and in some countries they are converted into biodegradable packaging,” he says.

According to a 2020 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Malaysians’ chicken meat consumption rate was 50.5kg per person per year. Meanwhile, the Department of Statistics Malaysia reported that livestock commodities per capita consumption for chicken meat was the highest at 49.3kg in 2023, 1.4kg more than in 2022.

“I formulate chicken feed formulas so that they can grow organically. I found out that chicken feathers contain a lot of protein since I’m managing Novoklon and I put forth my idea to Hidayah. Synbiozymes is focused on making feed and fertilisers from feather protein now.”

Tonnes of feathers generated globally by the poultry industry often end up in landfills where they contribute to environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, says Hidayah.

“By processing feathers into animal feed, particularly for livestock or aquaculture, we unlock their high protein content. We aim to support a circular bio-economy while addressing sustainability challenges in both livestock and crop production,” she adds.

This reduces reliance on conventional protein sources like soy or corn meal, which can have considerable environmental footprints associated with land use or deforestation.

Moreover, it is relatively cheaper to process chicken feathers into feed and sell them to local farmers than buy soy or maize, which are predominantly imported from Argentina and Brazil, as well as countries such as Pakistan, the US and India.

Malaysia heavily relies on imported corn, soybean and barley grains for poultry and ruminant feed, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida). As at 2018, the country had imported over four million tonnes of grain corn, mainly from Argentina and Brazil. Various other grains are sourced from the US, Ukraine, Russia, Canada, India and Australia.

As at March 2023, Mida had approved 139 projects in animal feed production, representing a total of RM3.8 billion in investments.

“Based on our calculations [from production and operational costs], it is [now] around 21% cheaper from traditional feed formulation inclusive of corn and soybean meal,” says Hidayah, adding that the cost might change depending on price fluctuations.

For the 2,300 poultry breeders nationwide, the cost of poultry feed constitutes 70% of overall expenses, with the other costs being logistics, labour, utilities and medicines, according to Mida.

Reports show that the price of corn per tonne had gone up by 41.3% from RM950 in January 2020 to RM1,300 in March 2021, while the price of soya bean meal per tonne had increased by 57.6% from RM1,650 to RM2,600 during the same period.

“We are not trying to give chickens fully animal-based protein; plant-based protein has non-essential amino acids. Similar to humans, chickens need both,” says Akhmal.

Converting feathers into fertiliser enriches the soil with vital nitrogen, phosphorus and other micronutrients. This minimises the need for synthetic chemical fertilisers, which require energy-intensive production and can lead to water pollution through run-off, says Hidayah.

Synbiozymes’ biostimulant amino acid fertiliser and powder feed are being tested at local cucumber, chilli and hydroponics farms as part of a pilot project.

“Right now, we are experimenting with farms with our liquid fertiliser first and then we will slowly introduce our solid feed. There has been positive feedback from our clients and hopefully, we can launch this next month,” says Hidayah.

Turning chicken feathers into a digestible and valuable protein source for chicken feed involves a patented industrial process, primarily through hydrolysis, explains Hidayah.

It begins with the collection and washing of feathers from poultry-processing plants, which is sometimes followed by an initial chopping to reduce the size. The critical transformation occurs in the hydrolysis stage, where the feathers are subjected to high-pressure steam and high temperatures, typically between 130°C and 150°C, in sealed vessels.

This intense environment breaks down the strong keratin protein structure, converting the indigestible material into smaller, digestible peptides and amino acids.

Following hydrolysis, excess moisture is removed from the resulting slurry using dewatering equipment. The dewatered material then proceeds to dryers, where hot air or steam further reduces its moisture content to ensure stability and prevent spoilage.

Finally, the dried, hydrolysed feather material is ground into a fine powder, known as hydrolysed feather meal, which is often sieved for uniformity. This finished product then undergoes quality control checks before being stored, ready to be incorporated as a high-protein ingredient into various animal feed formulations.

Akhmal points out that the majority of companies use the mechanical or grinding method where extreme heat is used to break down the protein, leading to ineffective use of the feed.

“Most companies process feathers using a method called heat extrusion, which involves grinding and essentially burning the feathers into a powder. The problem with this high-heat approach is that it destroys the protein’s small, digestible amino acid molecules. Once these amino acids are burnt, they’re no longer useful, meaning the resulting feather meal provides no effective protein source for animal feed,” he explains.

On the other hand, Synbiozymes focuses on cold extrusion and fermentation, using enzymes and bacteria to break down the feathers into protein for feed.

“Our process is biological. We use lower temperatures to break down and it is not very vigorous. It is energy efficient and preserves whatever nutrients and proteins are needed for the fertiliser,” says Hidayah.

“[For the fertiliser production], we heat the mixture to around 40°C to 50°C in the presence of alkaline enzymes and water. This process helps break down the chicken feathers into soluble amino acids. The water used in this step is not discarded; instead, it becomes an integral part of the final liquid product, which is the amino acid-based foliar fertiliser.

“There is minimal waste and the process is designed to be fully integrated, with no residual by-product.”

As for water sustainability, Hidayah notes that since the business is still in its nascent stages, it consumes a minimal amount of water. The aim is to design a closed-loop system where processed water, especially from feather hydrolysis, is either fully integrated into the final product or recycled for reuse.

“As we scale up, water sustainability will be a key part of our operational strategy. We plan to implement water flow meters and tracking systems to monitor consumption across different stages of production.”

At present, Hidayah’s primary focus is on scaling up Synbiozymes’ operations and driving sales. In the early stages, she bootstrapped the company, choosing to focus on refining the research and optimising the output, rather than being sidetracked by the pursuit of grants, which she says is time-consuming and can divert attention from product development.

“Based on my previous experience as a start-up founder, start-ups have to sustain [themselves] based on their revenue. Our main concern is to build a sales pipeline. I think we have already raised enough money for us to roll. Now we want to get the sales up and running.”

To date, Synbiozymes has raised over US$100,000 (RM423,530) in its seed round from venture capital firms such as Hasan VC, Yayasan Hasanah, the US-funded Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Asean programme, Cradle’s CIP Spark fund and recently through Shell’s flagship enterprise development programme, Shell LiveWIRE Malaysia 2024.

“The funds we have accumulated are not really the main capital. We used our own funds and savings first. And then, we raise money through competitions. Shell LiveWIRE was the first prize money we won. It was about RM40,000,” says Hidayah.

All the funds raised are being invested into Synbiozymes’ operations and equipment.

“These funds are used for production and to buy machines that are energy efficient, bottles, packaging. This is where we are focusing on channelling our funds right now.”

Despite these efforts, Hidayah still finds it hard to secure suitable partners, which is crucial for scaling its operations and expanding its reach in Malaysia and the region.

This is the reason Synbiozymes joined the GIST-Asean Business Incubation Programme. The programme is a US government initiative that connects science and tech innovators from Asean with American companies.

“We hope to scale up our business and network to get more partners in the long run,” she says.

Unlike food for human consumption, which requires a halal certificate in Malaysia to cater to the Muslim community, Hidayah says the company needs to apply for a certification that falls under the Animal Feed Act 2009.

“To mitigate the problem of halal or non-halal, we only source the feathers from slaughterhouses that are certified halal. Also, for animal feed, Jakim does not cover the halal certification.”

The Animal Feed Act 2009 (Act 698) outlines the requirements for importing, manufacturing and selling animal feed and feed additives. Key aspects include registration with the Animal Feed Board, compliance with labelling regulations and adherence to good manufacturing practices.

Specifically, for imports, initial approval from the Department of Veterinary Services Malaysia is required, followed by registration with the Animal Feed Board and obtaining an import permit from the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department.

Synbiozymes sources its chicken feathers from slaughterhouses in Selangor, Perak and Negeri Sembilan.

“Since we are still producing on a small scale of between one and five tonnes a month, we are in the process of applying for certification with the Animal Feed Board and hopefully once we scale up, we can get the certification,” says Hidayah.

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play.