100960Manufacturing High Value Chemicals through Industrial Biotechnology Feasibility StudyClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKPlaxica Ltd is developing technology to convert sustainable feedstocks into high performance polylactic acid (PLA) polymers that are expected to match or exceed the properties and application reach of currently available commodity polymers. The production of PLA from sustainable resources offers an attractive alternative to current petrochemical-derived commodity plastics. The current usage of PLA is generally restricted to one-trip food packaging, still water bottles and compostable bags due to the limitations of the physical, thermal and gas barrier properties of current available grades of PLA. Plaxica’s PLA has much improved strength, flexibility, heat and hydrolysis resistance, and also barrier properties. The aim of this project was to accelerate Plaxica’s activities in scoping out an alternative but complementary approach to one part of its previously preferred process. Using industrial biotechnology Plaxica has identified a suitable combination of organism, substrate and solvent and then optimised reaction conditions to achieve the stereoselective biotransformation necessary for the production of PLA with improved properties.