Phytic acid is a molecule that many plants produce to store phosphorus and that can interfere with digestion in humans because, as a complexing agent, it binds metals insolubly and thus impedes their absorption via the digestive tract. However, the NPBioPhos research project has revealed that the molecule appears to have long unrecognized talents.
Flooring from asparagus peels
This year's asparagus season has recently come to an end. Although the season fell far short of expectations for asparagus farmers, huge quantities of asparagus peels ended up in the waste. A research team at Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts wondered whether these residual materials could not be put to better use in the sense of a biobased circular economy.