In Baltimore, synbio startup Conagen, Inc. and biobased compounds maker Natáur LLC have partnered to produce taurine via biotechnology. Taurine is essential for cardiovascular, skeletal muscle, vision, and nervous system function in both humans and animals, but is not produced naturally by plants, fungi, or single-cell protein systems. Currently, taurine for supplements is manufactured from […]
In Denmark, a startup developing natural food colorings has raised an additional €7.1 million to accelerate commercialization. According to Chromologics, the additional funds have brought the entire series seed to €12.6 million. Proceeds will be used to launch its first product: Natu.Red®, a red food coloring produced via fermentation. “We are thrilled to be able […]
In San Diego, L’Oréal has joined the Genomatica-led consortium working to develop, produce and commercialize biotechnology-based alternatives to critical ingredients found in everyday cosmetics, personal care and cleaning products. The brand powerhouse joins founding consortium members Genomatica, Unilever, and Kao Corporation. The partnership is using Genomatica’s proprietary engineered microorganisms to ferment plant sugars that produce […]
In Sweden, local engineering, design and advisory company AFRY said that TreeToTextile, owned by H&M Group, Inter IKEA Group, Stora Enso and LSCS Invest, has invested $37 million in constructing a textile fiber process technology demonstration plant in Sweden. TreeToTextile is offering a new technology to produce biobased textile fibers with a low environmental footprint […]
In Canada, Pan American Energy said it has partnered with Integrity Mining and Industrial (IMI), a subsidiary of Integrity Bio-Chemicals, to collaborate on evaluating IMI’s suite of sustainable green chemistries to enhance lithium recovery from petalite bearing pegmatite, spodumene and lithium bearing clays. Pan American said it intends to share samples from its planned exploration […]
In Fiji, The Fiji Times reported that Government will build an ethanol plant at Rakiraki. Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh said the new ethanol plant would generate income for Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC). This income would allow FSC to get rid of years of relying on Government loans, the ministry said. “The plant in Rakiraki […]
In Israel, NILIT, a specialist in premium Nylon 6.6 for apparel, said it has earned the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Plus system (ISCC+) accreditation for its primary SENSIL ByNature facility in Israel. The ISCC+ system is an independent sustainability certification program that confirms the controlled use of renewable feedstocks throughout a supply chain. The […]
In China, Acumen Research and Consulting reported that the global biobased lubricants market generate $2.8 billion in 2022. According to the research firm, this market is set to achieve a market size of $ 4.9 billion in 2032 growing at a CAGR of 5.2% during the 2023-2032 period. “The global biobased lubricants market is expected […]
In Hollywood, actor Keanu Reeves has thanked researchers for the “surreal” honor of having a deadly but useful molecule named after him. Fungus-killing keanumycins were so named by the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology as an homage to John Wick, an assassin pulled out of retirement to hunt down a puppy […]
In India, a young product designer has created a prototype of 70% biodegradable headphones made out of bamboo. Twenty-six-year old Aakansh Chaturvedi tells The Better India he chose to pursue headphones because it’s a widely used product globally. “I found out that it is actually quite difficult to manufacture a headphone without plastic,” he says. […]
