Discovering new sources of protein

Proteins form an important part of our diet. The vast majority of vital nutrients are still covered by animal protein sources such as meat. Yet factory farming, pesticide use and climate change are increasingly endangering soils and groundwater and putting pressure on agriculture. The switch to new protein sources can be a solution. This is where the FutureProteins project comes in. Researchers from six Fraunhofer institutes are working together to develop novel protein sources as an alternative to meat and turn them into new food products.

Polishing up synthetic fibres with enzymes

This is hoped to assist in the development of innovative products for the textile industry and for construction chemistry. Thereby, newly discovered enzymes will be employed to targetedly modify natural products or synthetic fibres and to equip them with useful properties. To pursue these goals, the nine partners from industry and higher-education research have a total of €8 million up to 2018, half of which is managed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in the context of  ‘Innovation Initiative Industrial Biotechnology’.

Biofuels: it’s all in the milk

At first glance, the evergreen Caper Spurge (Euphorbia lathyris) is a less-than-impressive plant. Nevertheless, this herb does indeed pack some punch: the seeds contain 40-50 percent fatty oil. This abundantly flowing ‘latex’ also contains 8-12 percent volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons known as terpenes. What as really attracting the interest of scientists is the terpenes that take the form of energy-rich ‘triterpenoids’. This is because they represent a possible additive for biofuels.

Precious single cell oils born of waste water

Today, the strategic alliance ‘ZeroCarbonFootprint – ZeroCarbFP’ is exploring the ways in which this hidden potential could be recovered. The twelve participating partners in the alliance, which officially began work in 2013, are hunting for microorganisms that can use the carbon-rich wastes as substrates and in the process convert them into valuable building blocks and substances for industry.

Biological protective sheathing for teeth

Recorded as the oldest species on the planet, scientists have discovered a bio-silicate in sponges that can be used for new kinds of medical coatings, for example in dentistry or for bone implants. Supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the company NanotecMARIN GmbH has pushed forward the development of biotechnological production processes for the material. The first tests on patients are set to begin.

Lupin ice cream: a sustainable dessert

Summer may well have packed its bags and left town for another year, but the taste for ice cream hasn’t left our palates. In the freezer section of many supermarkets there is a special treat on offer for ice cream enthusiasts: lupin ice cream. Fraunhofer researchers in Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are the developers of the production process behind the frozen desserts and are supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Recently the developers were awarded the Federal President's "Future" Prize.

Helping the pawpaw breakthrough

The Asimina triloba plant, also known as the pawpaw, is native to North America and was valued by North America’s indigenous people for centuries. In addition to its highly aromatic fruit, the tree is hardy and resistant to pests. The fruit trees are rare in Europe and Germany because the tree does not propagate well. The company Bock Bio Science GmbH has been researching on ways to increase the pawpaw population in local orchards since 2012. The goal of the biologists from Bremen is the biotechnical mass propagation of plants in the laboratory.