Plant-based alternatives to petrochemicals

Use of non-food products to produce speciality chemicals is a focus of work on the Norwich Research Park.

Professor Keith Waldron, of the Institute of Food Research (IFR) heads up a team of scientists on the Norwich Research Park looking at how the by-products of the agri-food industry can be used to create ‘second generation biofuels’ and other renewable industrial biochemicals, an emerging area with huge potential.

Yeast fermentation is the basis for the global bioethanol industry, which has a current value of around US$80 billion, and is part of the production process for a range of industrially important chemicals.

An important driver for the industry is the move from the current use of starch towards the use of fermentable sugars derived from lignocellulosic waste materials. An example is the pulp left after the processing of sugar beet. This still contains a high carbohydrate content, which is a good source of sugar for fermentation to ethanol and is relatively low in lignin, which means the treatment costs are lower.

Under Prof Waldron’s leadership, the IFR Biorefinery Centre based on the Park has installed a steam explosion pilot plant necessary for the pre-treatment of biomass prior to enzymatic release of sugars and fermentation. Together with the National Collection of Yeast Cultures (also housed at IFR) a programme of both fundamental and applied research is on-going in this economically important area.