Meat has got competition: Plant-based sausage alternatives made from soy, peas or lupins have conquered supermarket shelves. However, there are differences: For example, plant-based sausages lack the right crunch when you bite into them. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz have now found a way to improve the mouthfeel so that vegetarian and vegan sausages resemble the animal original even more.

Provence is famous for its lavender fields. In July and August, the blue and purple flowers are not only beautiful to look at: The scent also attracts bees and butterflies, which feast on the sweet nectar. Because of its essential oils, the plant has also been valued as a remedy for centuries and is still used today for the production of medicines and natural cosmetics. A research team now wants to establish lavender cultivation in the Swabian Jura in order to obtain raw materials for the bioeconomy from it.

The use of high-quality by-products from the local agricultural and food industry and the associated return of valuable nutrients to the food economy are integral components of Mushlabs' strategy. The startup is one of the first biotech companies in the world to use byproducts for the liquid fermentation of mycelium from edible mushrooms. Bitburger's venture arm, Bitburger Ventures, had already joined Mushlabs in 2019. Now a production-level collaboration is starting.

Some revolutions are slow in coming. Like the research work of the French company Carbios, which spent ten years pursuing its idea of developing a polyethylene (PET)-degrading enzyme. In 2013, just two years after its founding, the biochemical company made the leap to Euronext, the European stock exchange. Since then, several industrial partnerships have followed one after the other.

Our skin is home to millions of microorganisms that protect us from pathogens and shape the appearance of our skin. But with age, the skin's microbiome changes. As a result, the skin loses elasticity and wrinkles form. With Probiolift and Postbiolift, BASF's Care Creations division is launching two new cosmetic ingredients that, for the first time, rely on the power of the skin's own bacteria and are designed to help maintain a more youthful and fresh skin.

At 38%, the construction industry is responsible for a large share of global greenhouse gas emissions. As the demand for housing increases, sustainable building materials are urgently needed to avoid further burdening the environment and climate. Researchers at the University of Göttingen have found an ecological alternative for dry construction with a new process that can be used to manufacture numerous products from hemp, flax and popcorn granules.

Palm oil is one of the most versatile and sought-after vegetable oils: it is found in many foods such as ice cream, chocolate and potato chips, and is also used in the production of cosmetics and biodiesel. Yet palm oil cultivation in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia has economic, social and also environmental consequences, and has therefore long been controversial. A research consortium is now working on a domestic alternative to palm oil. The NextVegOil project focuses on developing a process for producing a microbial oil based on agricultural residues.