Tobacco plants metabolically engineered to produce strychnine [Full subscriber]
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology have unravelled the complete biosynthetic pathway for forming strychnine in poison nut. They identified all genes involved in the biosynthesis of strychnine and other metabolites and expressed them in the tobacco plant via the metabolic engineering toolbox.
DTI and Cellucomp introduce packaging material produced from sugar beet pulp [Full subscriber]
The Danish Technological Institute, partnering with Scottish CelluComp, have developed Curran, a fibre-based material for packaging made of micro-fibrillated cellulose from sugar beet pulp and an ultra-thin biodegradable coating.
DSM customer testing biobased Vitamin A [Full subscriber]
Royal DSM has begun customer sampling the world’s first fully biobased vitamin A.
Sapporo Breweries monetizes brewery waste to produce denim [Full subscriber]
Sapporo Breweries is recycling brewery waste to manufacture cloth for new generation jeans.
SK Chemicals commences commercial-scale production of biopolyol [Full subscriber]
South Korea’s SK Chemicals has commenced production of biopolyol PO3G (Polyoxytrimethylene Glycol) at its plant in Ulsan with a capacity of several thousand tonnes which could expand given demand.
Unilever and Genomatica partner to develop biotech alternatives to palm oil [Full subscriber]
The consumer goods giant Unilever is partnering with the biotech firm Genomatica on a US$120 million venture to commercialise and scale alternatives to replace palm oil as feedstock in the production of everyday cleaning and personal care products via a fermentation platform.
Lignin-degrading artificial enzyme could pave way for high-value products [Full subscriber]
Researchers from Washington State University (WSU) and the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed an artificial peptoid-based enzyme that can digest lignin. Chemists have tried and failed to make valuable products from lignin for over a century. But the newly reported development could help change that track record of frustration.
Covation Biomaterials emerges as DuPont divests its biobased materials unit [Registered]
Following the completion of the purchase from DuPont for US$240 million, the Chinese Huafon Group has reincorporated former DuPont Biomaterials as a stand-alone company under the name Covation Biomaterials headquartered in the U.S. state of Delaware.
Circa and Valmet partner to scale up biosolvent production [Registered]
Norwegian renewable chemicals company Circa has teamed up with Finnish technology group Valmet to optimise Circa’s Furacell production process for biochemicals through the ReSolute project, which is currently underway in France.
Citric acid produced from cane bagasse [Full subscriber]
Researchers from the University of York, plus Indian and UK companies, have developed a process to convert cane bagasse into citric acid.
Monthly Snapshot
Raw sugar for March delivery settled at 19.82 cents/pound on January 18 after reaching a two-and-a-half-week high earlier in the session at 20.25 cents. The white sugar contract expiring in March settled at US$551.60/tonne. World free-market sugar prices rose 13.35% […]
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