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The BioInnovation Institute Foundation (BII), Novozymes, and EvodiaBio turn molecular
innovations into processes and products that make life on Earth more sustainable for
the environment and healthier for people.Between California and Hawaii, there’s an island of plastic almost as big as Alaska.
Plastic waste evident in this huge mass—known as the Great Pacific Garbage
Patch—and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) at the highest levels in hundreds
of thousands of years provide just two examples of the ongoing danger to Earth’s
sustainability. In Copenhagen, Denmark, scientists at BII use biotechnology to take
on these environmental challenges and others.
“I think everyone knows that the planet’s current health is not very strong,” says
BII CEO Jens Nielsen. He adds that in addition to the oceanic and climatic indicators,
we are “overusing all the resources on the planet, and so we will have to find new
solutions to deal with this.”
In conjunction with its traditional focus on human health, BII is creating a new
emphasis on planetary health. “It’s very important that we make sure that we can all
live healthy longer and that there’s also a planet that is nice to live on,” Nielsen says.
As it turns out, these two objectives can often be addressed in parallel.Farm to fork
Today’s agricultural industry offers several opportunities where biotechnology
can improve the health of the planet and people. According to the U.S. Department
of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, more than 10% of the country’s
greenhouse gases come from agriculture—as one example, synthetic fertilizers
release nitrous oxide. But that could change. “Imagine if we could add microbes to
the soil that work as fertilizer?” Nielsen asks. “The microbes could directly take the
nitrogen from the air and donate it to the plants.”Scientists at Novozymes in Copenhagen already apply microorganism-based
technology across the farm-to-food spectrum. For one thing, Novozymes inoculates
seeds with microorganisms that take up nitrogen to form the root nodules. “So, we
get much better growth with less dependence on chemical fertilizers,” says Claus
Crone Fuglsang, chief scientific officer at Novozymes. The company also makes
biopesticides from biodegradable proteins derived from microorganisms.
Microorganism-derived enzymes from Novozymes can also be used to improve
the taste, texture, and nutritional content of plant-derived foods. For instance,
soy proteins lack some of the amino-acid combinations that make whey protein
more nutritious. Instead of growing so many soybeans, a fermented protein can
be engineered to contain the right amino acids for complete nutrition, while also
providing a meaty flavor and texture. So, the production of plant-based foods such
as meatless burgers can ease the pressure on the environment and improve human
health. As Nielsen emphasizes, “Plant-based foods are more healthy and more
sustainable in terms of their production.”
Fuglsang calls Novozymes’ combination of agricultural technologies “farm to
fork.” “It covers everything from growing crops to processing grains, from producing
alternative proteins to improving taste, texture, and nutritional profiles of plant-
based consumer products,” he says.Cleaning up the environment
Many other consumer products could benefit from microorganism-derived enzymes,
which could also reduce their impact on the environment. One that Fuglsang points
out is laundry detergent. “People don’t think much about it, but laundry detergents can
contain pretty harsh chemicals that get washed out to the environment,” he says. “The
right enzyme can replace some of these chemicals, help clean the clothes, degrade
into harmless byproducts, and even allow a lower wash temperature.”Advertorial
Protecting the planet with biotechnology
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