Bioeconomy News

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Logo GFFA
The GFFA is an international forum dedicated to forward-looking issues in the global agricultural and food industry.

GFFA 2025: Focus on the bioeconomy

At the 17th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin, agricultural and food policy experts will be looking for solutions on how to make the bioeconomy sustainable in order to secure the world's food supply and combat climate crises.

Nachhaltige, im Faserguss- und Tiefziehverfahren hergestellte Packmittel aus Moorpflanzen
Sustainable packaging made from peatland plants using the fibre casting and thermoforming process

Sustainable packaging made from reed

Fraunhofer researchers provide evidence that plants from paludiculture are also suitable for the production of packaging and can therefore replace wood as a raw material for paper production.

Eike Janesch, Simon Täuber, Thomas Högl und Stefan Junne (v.l.) vom Fachgebiet Bioverfahrenstechnik beim Befüllen des Reaktors mit Stallstroh zur schnellen mikrobiellen Hydrolyse des Strohs.
Eike Janesch, Simon Täuber, Thomas Högl and Stefan Junne (from left) from the Bioprocess Engineering department filling the reactor with barn straw for rapid microbial hydrolysis of the straw.

Producing sustainable fish feed with microalgae

Bioprocess engineers at TU Berlin are showing how fish farming in aquacultures can become more sustainable. Omega-3 fatty acids for fish feed were obtained from plant residues and with the help of bacteria and algae, which can replace fishmeal and fish oil.

Diese Studentenblumen wachsen auf unterschiedlichen Biokohle-Kompost-Mischungen.
These marigolds grow on different biochar compost mixtures.

Peat-free potting soil from regional plant residues

In the TOPKO project, researchers at Oldenburg University of Applied Sciences want to develop biochar and hydrochar from agricultural residues such as green waste and manure in order to replace peat in horticulture.

Für die Analyse von Produkteigenschaften und -qualität wird aus der hydrothermal hergestellten Flüssigkeit (hinten) Trockensubstanz (vorne) gewonnen.
To analyse product properties and quality, dry matter (front) is extracted from the hydrothermally produced liquid (back).

Artificial humic substances from biogenic residues

With the help of hydrothermal humification, researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy in Potsdam have succeeded in artificially producing humic substances, which are important for soil health, and making them usable as fertiliser for agriculture.

Graphische Darstellung der Aufbereitung von Urin und Kot zu Dünger
Graphic representation of the processing of urine and faeces into fertiliser

Turning nutrients around with recycled fertiliser made from urine

After three years of research, the ‘zirkulierBAR’ project shows that it is technically feasible and ecologically sensible to process human excrement as fertiliser for agriculture. The results have now been published in a handbook.

Feine Backwaren wie Biskuits oder Tortenböden werden in der Regel durch Proteinschaum auf Eiweiß-Basis locker und luftig.
Fine baked goods such as sponge cakes or meringue are usually made light and airy with protein foam based on egg whites.

Fluffy Christmas meringue made from plant-based protein foam

Fraunhofer researchers from Freising are developing a food foam based on legumes to replace traditional egg whites from hens' eggs in baked goods.

Grünalgen-Zucht an der Uni Jena
Dr Trang Vuong (left) and Dr Prateek Shetty from the University of Jena show the growth of the green algae in the spatially structured 3D environment in comparison to conventional cultivation conditions in the laboratory.

Green algae as adaptation artists

Jena researchers reveal how well tiny green algae can adapt to their environment – without interfering with their genetic material. The observations from the study could benefit biotechnology.

Die kakaofreie Schokolade von Planet A Foods steckt bereits in vielen Produkten.
The cocoa-free chocolate from Planet A Foods can already be found in many products.

Growth spurt for cocoa-free chocolate production

The Munich-based food tech start-up Planet A Foods has received 30 million US dollars in a Series B financing round to further increase its production of cocoa-free chocolate.

Mikroalgen in einem neuartigen Photobioreaktorsystem binden CO2 und produzieren daraus eine pflanzenstärkende Biomasse.
For example, nutrients obtained from sludge water from the sewage treatment plant were used to feed microalgae in a new type of photo bioreactor system to produce plant strengthening agents and soil conditioners for agriculture.

When wastewater treatment plants become biorefineries

In the RoKKa project, partners from research and industry have demonstrated how new processes can be used to extract high-quality raw materials for the bioeconomy using wastewater from sewage treatment plants, while at the same time reducing CO2 emissions.

Käseplatte - Mit einem neuen Verfahren wollen Forscher die Angebotspalette erweitern.
Infinite Roots is breaking new ground in the development of mushroom mycelium-based dairy products.

Infinite Roots: Using whey to create new mycelium-based dairy products

The Hamburg-based biotech start-up Infinite Roots wants to utilise whey as a nutrient for mycelium fermentation and thus pave the way for new alternative dairy products.

Teströhrchen im Labor
Test tubes in the laboratory

New enzyme optimises material cycles

A research team led by Marburg microbiologist Tobias Erb has found a new way to effectively fix CO2 and transfer it into the cell metabolism. A completely new enzyme was designed for this purpose and optimised through evolution in the laboratory.

Das klimaschädliche Kohlendioxid könnte bald schon als industrieller Rohstoff Karriere machen.
Among other things, the new funding guideline supports the biotechnological use of CO2 as a raw material.

Funding round launched: Innovative methods for organic production

As part of the new funding guideline ‘Future technologies for the industrial bioeconomy’, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding innovative projects that address bio-based products and processes for a climate-neutral and recyclable industry.

Vollautomatisierte Mesokosmenanlage zur automatischen Bewässerung und Messung von Pflanzenstruktur, -vitalität und -wachstum. Sie befindet sich an der Universität Greifswald.
Fully automated mesocosm system for automatic irrigation and measurement of plant structure, vitality and growth. It is located at the University of Greifswald.

Millions in funding for peatland research

The Wetscapes 2.0 project is receiving 10 million euros from the German Research Foundation to research complex processes in the rewetting of fenland landscapes.

Internationales Forschungsteam entwickelt neue Methode für de novo Proteindesign
International research team develops new method for so-called de novo protein design.

Optimising protein structures with AI

Under the leadership of the Technical University of Munich, an international research team has developed a method with which proteins can be designed even better on a computer and produced with the desired properties.

Wie hier im Schweizer Solothurn soll nun auch in Japan eine neue Biomethanisierungsanlage entstehen.
As here in Solothurn, Switzerland, a new biomethanisation plant is now to be built in Japan.

Electrochaea takes bio-methane to Japan

The Bavarian company Electrochaea has concluded a licence agreement and technology transfer for its patented power-to-gas technology with Japan's Hitachi Ltd.

Drohne vom Typ DJI T30 aus dem Projekt Smarter Weinberg im Testeinsatz in Bernkastel-Kues.
DJI T30 drone from the Smarter Vineyard project being tested in Bernkastel-Kues.

Smart technologies for climate-resilient viticulture

Two innovative projects at the University of Koblenz show how technological innovations and fast 5G data transmission can make viticulture more climate-resilient and sustainable.

Bohnen
Pulses such as beans are rich in protein and can replace animal proteins.

Shaping sustainable food systems of the future

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is participating as a sponsor in FutureFoodS, a European partnership on safe and sustainable food systems. A new call for proposals has now been launched.

Mit den Projektdaten von Wald5Dplus lassen sich Karten erstellen, welche die Entwicklung von bis zu zehn verschiedenen Merkmalen von Bäumen vorhersagen.
The Wald5Dplus project data can be used to create maps that predict the development of up to ten different tree characteristics.

Forest observation from a distance with AI

Researchers at Munich University of Applied Sciences have developed an AI-based method that enables a precise inventory and development forecast of forests.

Das Startup Phaeosynt will aus Kieselalgenkulturen produzierte Antikörper unter anderem in Schwangerschaftstests einsetzen.
Antibodies produced from diatom cultures would avoid animal testing and reduce the burden on the environment.

Antibodies from diatoms for diagnostics

The start-up Phaeosynt from Hanover wants to develop a pregnancy test with antibodies from diatoms. The team is being funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation.