A European research project is set to push forward the use of enzymes to create more sustainable consumer products, including cosmetics.
After four years, the EU-funded RadicalZ project wraps up this month having reached important milestones in the discovery and development of enzymes for greener consumer products.
Through innovative biocatalysis, screening techniques, and computational tools, the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme project improved industrial processes in three key sectors: detergents, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals.
Discovering and optimizing new enzymes is often slow and costly. RadicalZ leverages microfluidic and AI technologies that enable faster enzyme discovery and engineering.
With these advanced tools, the project developed 27 innovative synthetic processes that convert biomass and secondary waste streams into valuable natural ingredients for everyday consumer products, while also evaluating their sustainability.
The project led to two patent applications for innovative enzymatic technologies that enable the sustainable production of high-value compounds for various industries, including cosmetics.
Interestingly, the project developed and scaled up enzymatic processes for producing key natural ingredients − like aromas, antioxidants, and texturizers − demonstrating their commercial potential.
In cosmetics, it used enzymes to produce natural fragrances, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, providing gentler, more sustainable ingredients for skincare and personal care products.
Among them, a novel green process to produce raspberry ketone, a widely used fragrance ingredient.
Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts and help speed up chemical reactions.
Integrating them into industrial applications not only improves manufacturing efficiency, but also enables greener synthetic reactions compared to conventional oil-based approaches.
Other enzymatic projects to have received funding under the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme Oxypro, EnXylaScope, and FuturEnzyme.
Enzyme technologies are revolutionising industries by providing sustainable, efficient, and non-toxic alternatives to conventional chemical-based processes.
“The cosmetics sector faces multiple pollution issues, notably water contamination, as many of its ingredients are non-biodegradable and accumulate in rivers, seas, and oceans,” says Benjamin Baumert, researcher at the University of Greifswald.
“Enzymatic reactions take place under milder conditions than conventional chemical processes, requiring lower temperature, pressure, and pH,” added Baumert.
“Additionally, they use water as a solvent, minimizing the release of toxic and polluting organic solvents into the environment”.
Jana Ford Husarcik, manager at the German BRAIN Biotech AG −a leading European industrial biotech company−, affirms: “In chemical synthetic processes, many byproducts are often formed, which must be discarded.
“With enzymatic reaction, instead, production of byproducts is minimal and sustainable”.
