Technology
UC Davis turns cheese waste into bioplastic
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, are turning cheese byproducts into biodegradable plastic. They are working with the California dairy industry. The pilot-scale process starts with whey permeate, a salty byproduct of cheese making. Salt-loving microbes ferment its lactose.…
LANXESS unveils biodegradable cosmetic esters
LANXESS has launched Cosmelin, a new line of readily biodegradable esters for the cosmetics and personal care industry. The products target makers of skin care, hair care, sun care and decorative cosmetics. The esters meet the OECD 301 standard for…
Hyosung ferments sugarcane into bio-BDO
Hyosung TNC has started commercial production of bio-based 1,4-butanediol (bio-BDO) in Vietnam. The South Korean textile maker uses fermentation to make the chemical from sugarcane-derived sugars. This replaces the fossil-based feedstocks used in conventional BDO production. The facility has an…
Bio-based plastic and leather target shoemakers
Rheom Materials has expanded into footwear with two bio-based materials. The first, Benree, is a bio-based hard plastic for shoe components. It has passed SATRA testing for high heel applications, carried out with Australian brand Bared Footwear. The material is…
Abolis launches microbial data platform
French biotech firm Abolis Biotechnologies has launched a software platform for microbial research. It is called MINE, short for Microbial INtelligence Explorer. The company says it can cut trial and error in the development of fermentation-derived ingredients. MINE combines genomic…
Evolution and AI power bio-based protein research
Scientists at the University of Sheffield are using evolution and artificial intelligence to speed up bio-based protein development. The work centers on precision fermentation and biomanufacturing. Prof Tuck Seng Wong leads the effort. He is chair of biomanufacturing at the…