In South Korea, designers Zay Kim, Chaewon Lee, and Jungmin Park have created a biodegradable splint concept for birds injured in urban environments. Dubbed BirdAid, the splints are made from eggshell calcium, agar and potato starch. The calcium provides for bone recovery while the compositions of the other materials are calibrated to biodegrade at a […]
In California, a foodtech startup has reported progress scaling the production of cocoa using cellular agriculture. According to Green Queen, California Cultured has advanced from growing cocoa cells in a bench shake flask to growing them in bioreactors, with help from collaboration partner Pow.Bio. Founded in 2020, California Cultured isolates cocoa plant cells with the […]
In California, synthetic biology firm Amyris and food ingredient solutions firm Ingredion Incorporated have agreed to “wind down” their RealSweet joint venture. Formed in 2021, the JV focused on producing and commercializing fermented Reb M, a zero-calorie, high-intensity sweetener derived from stevia. As part of the agreement, Amyris will assume 100% ownership of the Precision […]
In Atlanta, paper cups lined with polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymer are available at Walmart for the first time. Manufactured by WinCup, Inc. and sold under the brand name phade®, the hot beverage cup is lined with PHA rather than a plastic film, allowing it to quickly break down in the environment. The plastic lining in traditional paper […]
In Switzerland, researchers at Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) have created a biodegradable material from the mycelium of the split-gill mushroom. The living, plastic-like substance is flexible, tough, and edible, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. The innovation lies in preserving the biological activity of the mushroom’s mycelium during processing. […]
In Germany, researchers at the University of Bayreuth’s Biomaterials research group have used the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to create spiders that produce red fluorescent silk. Spider silk has long been of interest for numerous applications because it is extremely tear-resistant, elastic, lightweight, and biodegradable. In what may be the first work applying CRISPR-Cas9 to spiders, […]
In California, Transcarton has launched a Kickstarter campaign for BoilMate—the world’s first fire-safe, compostable paper bowl engineered for instant cooking. BoilMate combines FDA-approved corn fiber with a 304-grade stainless steel rack to create a single-sheet, glue-free container that withstands direct flame. Simply unfold the bowl, pour in water or broth, and place it over an […]
In Finland, Natural Indigo Finland and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) have developed a water-based ink using biocolorant extracted from coffee waste supplied by Finnish coffee roastery and spice producer Meira Oy. The resulting ink has been used in flexographic printing on fiber-based packaging and offers a renewable, natural alternative to synthetic pigments traditionally […]
In Arizona, Cargill’s Bioindustrial unit has partnered with Arizona State University to develop advanced materials used in semiconductor technology. The research centers on Cargill Priamine dimer diamine, which is made from biobased ingredients. Originally developed for other applications, Priamine, dimer diamine has a very low dielectric constant, which could enhance the performance of semiconductor devices. […]
In Milan, design firm NOI Creative has created a Nordic-style table lamp from agricultural waste, including coffee grounds, rice husks and wheat brand. Dubbed Lanova Tera, the lamp “exemplifies the fusion of sustainability and minimalist design,” according to design publication Yanko Design. “By repurposing materials that would otherwise contribute to landfill waste, the lamp not […]
