Bio science could transform food ingredients industry and cut costs

Called biotransformation, the groundbreaking process is said to be so important to product development that a 'centre of excellence' dedicated to it will open at Manchester University in 2005.

Biotransformation involves isolating naturally occurring organisms for manufacturing foods and flavours. French ingredients firm Rhodia has already used it to produce a vanilla flavouring -- vanillin -- from orchids. A University of Wales project has used biotransformation to mature rapidly alcoholic beverages.

Supporters claim that a switch to biotransformation from traditional methods of manufacturing can reduce the number of processes and the energy use because of the lower temperatures required, resulting in significant cost savings. Waste from the process is also degradable, which is often not the case with chemically-derived constituents.

"All artificial flavours are trying to reproduce what already happens in nature," said Dr David Gardner, director of the Pro-Bio Faraday Partnership, which is hosting the seminar in London on September 23.

"Now the issue is isolating what is happening and trying to reproduce that under a controlled manner. There are many ways of doing that. The reason for doing it with biotransformation is to do it in a 'natural' way."

The seminar will cover recent developments, including Degussa's Oxireductase technology for making natural flavour compounds. Call 0151 347 2931 for details.

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