Fermentation Will Grow as a Way to Make Chemicals

by Craig Bettenhausen (Chemical & Engineering News) ... In 2023, the volume and diversity of biobased chemicals made via fermentation will grow as microbe engineering gets better and synthetic biology unlocks a wider range of molecular targets.

One example of this trend is the growth of the industrial biotechnology firm Genomatica, which is rapidly commercializing fermentation routes to large-volume chemicals normally made from petroleum. Biobased 1,4-butanediol (BDO)—a starting material for many foams, plastics, and fibers—has been a star performer for the company.

Similarly, the gene-editing and strain-optimizing powerhouse Ginkgo Bioworks dotted 2022 with announcements of new customers looking for its help to produce organic acids, personal care ingredients, enzyme catalysts, and medicines. The firm says many more partnerships will become public in 2023.

Weiss expects to see growth in 2023 in the types of molecules that companies are making by fermentation—especially flavors, fragrances, and other specialty chemicals. He also says fermentation will continue to edge toward larger volumes. “I think the trend lines are good that this may be a field that’s beginning to come up to speed and put numbers up on the scoreboard.” READ MORE