Production methods of fine chemicals, such as colourings, odours and flavourings, can be made much more environment friendly. Researchers of Plant Research International are unravelling the mechanism plants use to produce these substances and transfer this mechanism into micro-organisms, resulting in production and recovery of the substances without polluting chemical methods.
Not only the food industry, but also manufacturers of products such as pesticides, cosmetics or detergents are frequently using plant-produced substances. These are fine chemicals, substances with a relatively high value, of which plants often only produce small quantities, or with an unreliable supply. And chemical, polluting substances are often required to extract such substances from the plants.
Production of odours and flavourings
Our researchers are working on methods to facilitate production of the substances. They are focussing on two large groups of substances: terpenes and flavonoids. There are thousands of known terpenes; our scientists conduct a lot of research on aromatics and flavourings such as nootketone, the typical grapefruit taste. Flavonoids, with some 5000 representatives, find application as anti-oxidants and as colourings.
Our researchers are investigating how plants are producing the substances, which enzymes are involved, and when they are producing large amounts. They are also studying the way in which plants are transporting and storing the substances.
Transfer mechanism into micro-organisms
After unravelling the mechanisms of production, transport and storage, the scientists are taking this mechanism from the plant and transfer this into micro-organisms. These micro-organisms then start producing the substance, still following the natural route but in an easy and controllable fashion while enabling easier and cleaner extraction of the substances.
The thus produced terpenes can directly go to the food industry as aromatics and flavourings but there are other uses as well. For the time being, the flavonoids serve research purposes. Research into the effect of individual flavonoids is impeded because they are difficult to obtain in pure form, a problem to be overcome by the procedure developed by our scientists.
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