Promising results for a compound to inhibit methane emissions in ruminants

Researchers at the Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare in Umeå, Sweden, have published the first peer-reviewed scientific study on the molecule TBE (high-purity tribromoethanol, previously referred to as AB-01) in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. The study describes the compound and its effects on methane emissions, following nearly three years of collaborative research conducted in partnership with the company Agteria Biotech.

The results demonstrate that the compound is a highly effective inhibitor of methane formation under in vitro laboratory conditions, achieving substantial emission reductions. These findings position high-purity TBE as a promising candidate within the emerging class of direct methanogenesis inhibitors.

The development of high-purity TBE has been led by Agteria Biotech, and the approach is currently subject to patent protection. The present publication represents the first scientific disclosure of the compound’s performance in a ruminant nutrition context and marks an important milestone in its ongoing development.

Together, these results highlight the potential of high-purity TBE as a next-generation methane-reducing feed additive and provide a scientific foundation for further evaluation under in vivo conditions in animals.

Link to the publication

Ashkan Fekri, Giorgio Menni, Petra Fant and Mohammad Ramin. 2026. Effects of high-purity tribromoethanol (TBE) on methane production and ruminal fermentation across diets with different nutrient compositions using an in vitro gas system. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 102928