BALI – Biorefinery concept for algae-based ingredients

Project description:

In this project, we aim to develop a biorefinery concept that allows the economic and sustainable use of regional algal biomasses. We propose a cascade utilization of algal biomasses that allows the exploitation of (i) classical fatty acids, (ii) new marine sugars, and (iii) bioactive secondary metabolites. The combined extraction and biotechnological utilization of different algal ingredients ensures improved value chains of these marine renewable resources. The material biomass utilization represents the central valorization stage.

The BALI project, coordinated in each case by the industrial partners, is pursuing three specific product goals:

(A) high-quality fatty acids already established on the market,
(B) natural, cosmetic skin lighteners based on secondary metabolites of marine macroalgae, and
(C) development of new tailored, high-value, marine algal sugar compounds for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries and as fine chemicals.

In the proposed project, we aim to obtain biomasses of regionally cultivable macroalgae as well as selected microalgae and to develop their fractionated ingredients for new applications.

Our tasks:

• Cultivation of algae
• Ensure availability of algae

Project staff:

• Dipl.-Ing. Susanne Woldmann
• Dr. Rafael Meichßner
• Dr. Levent Piker

Funding by: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the innovation space “Bioeconomy at Marine Sites”.

Period: April 2020 to March 2022

Project partners:

• BlueBioTech GmbH
• Enzymicals AG
• GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, GEOMAR Centre for Marine Biotechnology
• Institute for Marine Biotechnology e.V.
• oceanBASIS GmbH
• University of Greifswald