High-Value Biorenewable Peptides from Proteinaceous Biomass

Bell & Loxton Innovations is a highly innovative, circular-economy spin-out from a working farm in South Devon. Our consortium has recognised an opportunity to produce high-value biorenewable (HVB) materials from abundant agricultural and food-processing co-streams. Many co-streams such as oilseed presscake created during oil extraction and spent brewing yeast and grain are high in protein and are routinely discarded or used downstream in low-economic value applications. Proteins from different natural sources have unique compositions of amino acids both in prevalence and in terms of their sequence. Consequently, proteolysis of these biorenewable proteins will create unique distributions of smaller peptides that differ in size, amino acid compositions and sequence. This diversity enables different high-value market sectors to be catered for such as nutrition, personal care and pharmaceuticals as different peptides have different biological properties.

Historically, bespoke peptides have been chemically synthesised at high cost from chemical/fossil fuel feedstocks. Identifying unique high-value biorenewable proteins and then producing tailored peptides and blends (hydrolysates) will enable a circular economy approach to supplying multiple industry sectors with a consequent benefit to the environment.

Our consortium brings together the necessary parts for developing a successful and scalable 'green' chemicals business: Bell & Loxton Innovations with its strong farming, food and agricultural production experience, The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) with its in-depth knowledge of waste and co-stream valorisation techniques, and Thomas Swan & Co Ltd as an established chemicals manufacturing business to enable scale-up production coupled with a mission to move to 100% biorenewable feedstocks.

Continuing this project from a successful valorisation feasibility study conducted with the BDC, we will work with our route to market manufacturing partner, Thomas Swan, to develop a scalable and patentable process that controls the composition and molecular weight range of resulting peptide hydrolysates each with their own unique bioactivity and targeted to specific markets. To enable revenues within a reasonable timeframe, we will focus initially on personal care applications (skincare, haircare) where a high demand for such peptides already exists and is proportionally regulated.