phytomining

FERMENTATION
BIOTRANSFORMATION
BIOKATALYSE

phytomining

In our industrial biotechnology department, the in-house platform technology phytomining is applied to achieve the following goals:

  • Development of new processes for the production of new substances
  • Development of new processes for the production of existing substances
  • Optimisation of existing processes, e.g. through the use of powerful plant enzymes.

The phytomining platform technology is composed of various molecular biological analysis and process methods: Metabolic engineering, biochemical as well as genetic analyses and recombinant expression are digitally planned and evaluated to finally create the optimal solution. This multidisciplinary approach enables us to decipher biosynthetic pathways of plants and microorganisms and then combine them to produce the desired product.

Our expertise lies in the bio-fermentative production of terpene- and phenyl-propane-based products, which are used as flavour or active ingredients, cosmetics, food supplements as well as natural colourings and adhesives. Examples of terpene-based substances are carotenoids and aroma substances such as Ionones (see below), while flavonoids can be mentioned for phenylpropane-based products. The possibilities of producible ingredients are enormous and can be synthesised in different qualities depending on the intended use. Through our unique platform technology, the resulting products can be declared as natural, can replace petrochemical ingredients and thus contribute to a bio-based society.

The path from idea to product, supported by our cooperation with ZENIT and our partner Axxence, is also explained in the video:

https://www.phytowelt.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/phytowelt-industrielle-biotechnologie-allgemeines-verfahren-phytomining-1024x614-1.jpg

Raspberry flavour ingredient - (R)-alpha ionone

One of these products, for which we have patented a specially developed process, is the natural raspberry flavour ingredient (R)-alpha-ionone. Our process makes it possible for the first time to produce this molecule without chiral by-products, giving it an unadulterated and unique raspberry flavour thanks to its highest purity. Extracting 1 gram of our raspberry flavour would require 111 tonnes of raspberries and up to 20 hectares of land. Our bio-fermentation process is comparatively the most sustainable, efficient and affordable method of extracting this valuable product.

See our product description for more information on (R)-alpha-ionone and its production process, for which we were named the most innovative biotech SME in the agri-biotech sector by EuropaBio in 2018.