Speaker: Dr. Deby Fapyane

Company: Cellugy ApS

Title: Fermentation and its Importance in Producing Bio-Based, High Performance and Sustainable Ingredients

Language: English

Abstract:

Fermentation has been around for thousands of years, bringing nutritious foods such as yogurt and bread to the table. Further advancements in biotechnology have brought fermentation to a different level, enabling the production of high-performing materials through both natural and genetically engineered microorganisms. Fermentation technology has brought us a new way to manufacture ingredients that were originally sourced or harvested from nature, which in the process may not be sustainable.

One example is the production of colorants such as carmine, which is a brilliant red dye produced from an insect known as Coccus cacti. The insect is harvested from prickly pear cactus, where carmine dye is extracted through water extraction of crushed and ground insects. This process is not sustainable in the supply chain perspective, as any change in the environment (such as loss of diversity due to climate change) could disturb a $43.4 billion industry of carmine worldwide. Thus, many innovative companies are looking for alternative ways to manufacture carmine, such as fungal fermentation-based production, where carmine harvested through this technology can be certified as vegan, unlike the previous way.

At Cellugy, we share the same vision. We would like to use biotechnology and fermentation to manufacture a high-performance product that can be produced anywhere on earth without disrupting biodiversity and environments. Cellulose is the most abundant polymer on earth, which is the main strength-bearing structure for plants, fungi, or even some marine animals. However, we do not want to sacrifice the earth to harvest cellulose, which is originally obtained from wood (or plant) pulp refinery. We use the power of fermentation to produce biofabricated cellulose, whose properties can be modified and modulated with green process. Biofabricated cellulose is a remarkable, high-purity, multifunctional ingredient for personal care and cosmetics whose further uses are yet to be unlocked.