High Value Chemicals by Biotechnological Modifications of Polysaccharide from Waste

The use of renewable products to produce valuable and biologically sustainable materials and to minimise waste is a major challenge for current global research and development. This project aims to use a biomass feedstock, from waste processing, employing enzyme catalysts in an aqueous environment at ambient temperatures, to produce a wide range of sustainable product ingredients. These could be used for a variety of applications in Personal Care, for example rheology modifiers, deposition aids, moisturisers and antimicrobial agents. The initial enzymatic modifications at a small scale will be carried out by Almac Group and Glyndwr University. The optimum processes will be scaled up to in excess of a 1000L by Croda. Unilever will evaluate the product ingredients developed for a variety of applications in Personal Care. The successful candidates will be commercialised by Croda and launched in products by Unilever.