How can we develop products based on non-fossil ingredients with improved performance and utilize the potential of microbiology?
How can disinfectants and other antimicrobial products efficiently be tested for their efficacy in order to obtain solid data sets for a biocide registration?
I have been dedicated to answering these questions for a very long time and have already been able to successfully apply the answer to many products during my career with over 25 years at Henkel.
I am now ready to share these decades of experience with you, and the result is not only future-oriented, but also safe and stable products that contribute to a more environmentally friendly development in the sense of our planet in a scientifically sound and truly “sustainable” way.
Dr. Roland Breves
Use of modern molecular technologies for chemical products with improved properties (white biotechnology).
Biotechnological processes for replacing fossil resources with sustainable carbon.
Application of a broad and long expertise on bacteria, fungi and viruses for a wide range of applications.
Requirement profiles and test strategies for new antimicrobial agents and processes for a wide range of applications, such as disinfection and product preservation.
Definition of requirement profiles for ingredients, in particular for FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) and adhesives, sealants and coatings.
Application of standard tests (especially CENTC 216) for biocide registrations and development of innovative test strategies.
Market and literature surveys to identify potential partners in development and production
Consulting for effective leadership and organization of small teams in status nascendi and setting up a leadership culture
For start-ups, the strategically correct positioning in the industrial value chain is crucial for the success of the company.
Established market players who want to become more involved in the bioeconomy can avoid mistakes and thus benefit.
Universities and research institutes must increasingly map the entire value chain in new funding projects.
The commitment to environmentally friendly and resource-saving solutions is an essential part of my work. I focus on promoting and implementing the latest technologies and processes.
Consideration of economic and regulatory framework conditions is also necessary for an optimal result, and transparent and honest advice plays a major role, as does the responsibility that comes with it.
The focus is on your specific needs and objectives to create a collaborative and cooperative way of working. Excellence means striving for the best results and continuous improvement. This enables a long-term positive impact on the environment and society.
A high standard in the implementation and review of solutions is the most efficient way to reach your goal. And we work together to find out exactly what this goal looks like.
The applications of microbiology provide an effective contribution to tackling climate change and improving hygiene, health and nutrition.
We get to know each other and find out whether and how cooperation can be helpful.
We determine which measures make sense for the application and draw up an implementation plan.
The implementation of the measures is monitored in various stages and the effectiveness is evaluated. I will accompany you at regular intervals.
I am not just interested in gray theory, but in tangible results. That's why I'm sharing some success stories here so that you can see for yourself what benefits bioeconomic consulting can have for you.
In order to improve the effectiveness of a detergent, a mutant of the detergent protease BLAP (Bacillus lentus alkaline protease) was created and successfully transferred to production. The enzyme was used for several years in heavy-duty detergents and dishwashing detergents.
All types of protein-based stains and dirt residues were reliably dissolved. The details can also be found in the patent applied for.
WO03038082A2: New alkaline protease variants and detergents containing these new alkaline protease variants.
As early as 2004, concepts for the gentle modulation of the skin microbiome were developed and used as “prebiotic cosmetics” in skin care products in several countries, which was still a very new type of skin care at the time.
The aim was to improve the purity of the skin of young adults (approx. 20-30 years). At this age, people tend to struggle with minor blemishes, so it became apparent that there was an increased demand for gentle products that would not simply kill all bacteria, but only the bad ones. A product was developed that fulfilled exactly this purpose and at the same time even promoted the good bacteria. The effectiveness of the product was tested in a study in which over 60% of the test subjects were able to confirm an improved skin appearance.
You can find all the details here in the publication.
During the pandemic, a process for proving the disinfection of air was developed on behalf of an aerosolising device manufacturer. Critical voices immediately said “you can't disinfect air”, but besides on surfaces, even in the gas phase demonstrating the efficacy was possible.
In the process, the activity of a hygiene aerosol against airborne germs (bacteria and viruses) was tested and its effectiveness was successfully proven. On this basis, the complex verification data for the EU biocide registration could also be fulfilled and the product could be launched on the market.
Further information can be found here in the publication.
Several peptides with specific binding properties on different surfaces were identified in a screening process and then characterized, with special research being carried out into peptides that have particularly good adhesive properties, both on hard surfaces and on textiles. These peptides are intended to be used in adhesives and detergents, among other things.
Efficient and fast screening methods were used to obtain results quickly. Biotechnological production was established on a laboratory scale. The identified molecules are currently the subject of product developments.
Details can also be found in patent WO2014072313A1 and WO2023110575A1
The bioeconomy is a new model for industry and the economy that involves the sustainable use of renewable biological resources to produce food, energy and industrial goods, and aims to harness the untapped potential of millions of tons of biological waste and other residues.
The focus here is on consumer goods and industrial products, such as detergents and cleaning agents, cosmetics, adhesives and sealants, paints and varnishes, paper and packaging, textiles, building materials, toys and plastic items of all kinds.
They manage with a reduced - or ideally completely without - use of fossil ingredients. Fossil sources (oil, gas, coal) are not only used to generate energy, but are also used to a significant extent as materials, e.g. in plastic polymers. At the end of the utilization phase, CO2 is released into the atmosphere through incineration or decomposition.
Instead, the bioeconomy generates the carbon used as a material from biomass, from recycling streams or by using CO2 from the atmosphere or exhaust gases, so that no additional CO2 is released from fossil sources.
In addition to “red” (pharmaceuticals) and “green” (plant breeding), “white” biotechnology opens up a wide range of potential applications. As the areas are not always clearly defined, it is now referred to as “industrial biotechnology”.
Here, the principles of biology are applied to the development and production of chemical substances and products. In particular, nature's biological toolbox makes it possible to produce substances and reactions that are difficult to access using conventional chemistry.
A long-established example is enzymes in detergents, which can remove dirt particularly selectively and gently.
Disinfection is the irreversible inactivation of harmful microorganisms to an acceptable level for the respective application. In contrast to sterilization, a small number of microorganisms may remain.
Biocides are “active substances and preparations containing one or more active substances in the form in which they are supplied to the user and which are intended to destroy, deter, render harmless, prevent damage by or otherwise combat harmful organisms by chemical or biological means.
This definition of the EU biocide regulation is very broad! Finally, a biocidal product claim makes a product a biocide.
The authorization of biocides in Europe is controlled by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). For a total of 23 product types (PTs), detailed catalogs of requirements have already been drawn up, some of which are still in progress; for disinfectants (PTs 1-4), the methods of CEN TC 216 “Chemical disinfectants and antiseptics” essentially apply.
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