Creating new food additives from hemp

Hemp is one of the oldest crops in the world. Various parts and species of the plant are used to produce textile fibers, building materials, medicinal products, but also foodstuffs. The food industry relies primarily on the healthy ingredients of the hemp plant, which are rich in proteins, carbohydrates and fats, but also vitamins and minerals. Industrial hemp, on the other hand, is cultivated specifically for industrial use.

"Perennial grain crops are a resource-saving alternative"

Many plants only live for one season and have to be resown every year. This also applies to important food crops such as wheat, corn and barley. However, regular sowing, plowing, harvesting and fertilizer application damage biodiversity, groundwater and soil. Maria von Korff Schmirsing is convinced that perennial crops can solve the problem. The plant researcher wants to make food production more sustainable by breeding perennial cereal crops.

"Microalgae on building facades can green the city"

Microalgae are a beacon of hope for the bioeconomy. Not only manufacturers of food and animal feed rely on them, but microalgae are also becoming increasingly important for the production of biofuel and new plastics. Linus Stegbauer now wants to establish these talented single-celled organisms in the construction sector. To this end, the Stuttgart chemist wants to develop biointelligent facade elements for buildings that are coated with a special biofilm made of microalgae.

Using bacteria to produce plastic from waste

Plastics are versatile and durable, but it is precisely their long durability that is the problem: petroleum-based plastics do not decompose and pollute the environment. Bio-based alternatives made from renewable raw materials do exist. But they are not environmentally friendly per se unless they are also sustainably produced, recyclable or biodegradable. This is the approach taken by the PHABIO APP project.

European Forest Institute opens its doors in Bonn

European forests have to accommodate a multitude of requirements: they have to be a resource provider as well as a nearby recreational area. At the same time forests also need to be more and more resilient in the face of extreme weather occurrences. This resilience will be the focus of the new office of the European Forest Institute (EFI) in Bonn. The official inauguration with Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Christian Schmidt at the UN campus in Bonn took place on August 29.

Denka buys pharming pioneer Icon Genetics

The two-phase sale of Icon Genetics was completed on August 21. Icon Genetics previous owner, German plant biotechnology company NOMAD Bioscience GmbH, already sold 51% of Icon's shares to Denka in August 2015. Now, the Japanese company has acquired the remaining 49% of shares, resulting in Icon Genetics becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Denka. According to a press release, the total acquisition amount to be paid by DENKA is a maximum of €75 million.

Building blocks made of fungi

Buildings have to be much more than four walls and a roof. They have to withstand rain and wind and provide shelter. But more recently another aspect has come into focus as well: they have to be made of sustainable material. Therefore, researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are looking for alternative building materials.

Insects as an alternative protein source

As an alternative source for protein, as an ingredient for cosmetics, or to improve waste management – these are just some of the possibilities that insects offer for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future industry. To discuss the newest research findings experts from 35 countries came together at the third annual international INSECTA conference. This year, 250 participants from research and industry gathered at the main building of the Technical University Berlin on September 7 and 8.