DSM, Netherlands-based global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company and ROQUETTE, the French starch and starch-derivatives company, have jointly announced during the international Life Sciences Forum, BioVision, that its bio-based succinic acid demonstration plant in Lestrem (France) will be operational by the end of 2009. The two companies have developed a method to produce succinic acid from starch using an innovative enzyme-based fermentation technology rather than the traditional ingredients, crude oil and natural gas. The Lestrem demonstration plant will enable this manufacturing process to be refined further before it is scaled-up to full commercial industrial production in 2011/2012.
The start of the plant will marks the very first time succinic acid - a chemical building block used in the manufacture of polymers, resins, food and pharmaceuticals among other products - will be produced using biological means. This new white biotechnology-based route could result in up to 40% reduction in energy requirements compared to the traditional method, and have a positive impact on reducing CO2 emissions, as carbon dioxide is actually used in the production process.
10-Mar-09 
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