The BioImpulse project confirms its progress by validating a third key milestone!

7th July 2023

Bio-sourcing, bio-production, and biotechnology all play a significant role in the production of various consumer goods. While they share similarities, there are key differences between the three that make them unique, and answer to different challenges.

Bio-sourcing

Bio-sourcing refers to the process of extracting or sourcing materials from biological sources – such as plants, animals, or microorganisms. It can involve cultivated resources (crops, trees, etc.), wild plants harvesting, or the raising of animals. The resources are considered renewable when they can be replenished at either the same or higher rate than they are consumed.

We call a product “bio-sourced” when the raw materials of which it is composed are from biological sources. Bio-sourced materials include various mediums (fibers or chemicals such as oils, proteins, lignin, cellulose, etc.) which can then be used in the production of food, apparel, etc.

Bio-production

Bio-production, on the other hand, involves the use of biological processes to produce goods or materials. This can include fermentation, the use of living organisms, and other processes.

One of the oldest example of bio-production is the production of silk fibers by silkworms that has been going on for millions of years.

Biotechnology

Biotechnology refers to the use and optimization of living organisms for production. This allows for the production of very specific materials that could not be found or produced otherwise.

Biotechnology leverages state-of-the-art technologies, like strain engineering, genetic engineering, molecular biology, and other techniques to manipulate biological systems. Biotechnology can serve many different industries, including healthcare, agriculture, and environmental science.

The BioImpulse project, our example for the use of biotechnology

The BioImpulse project, in its ambition to create a new adhesive resin free of substance of very high concern (SVHC) makes a great example to the use of biotechnology. The project teams are leveraging genetic and enzymatic engineering, fermentation, and industrial technologies, in the design of microorganisms able to synthetize the bio-based molecule of interest.

The use of biotechnology at scale, in a project of such magnitude will open the way to new applications in the field of materials.