New biomaterials!

Bioplastics company Danimer Scientific has received a $400,000 grant from the United Soybean Council to expand the company’s evaluation of high oleic soybean oil (HOSO) as a feedstock for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), a sustainable Biopolymers as biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics
.

This funding marks the successful completion of a year-long project as Danimer continues to work with the United Soybean Council to develop a practical model to use HOSO as an ingredient in the manufacture of Danimer's signature PHA Nodax
.
Nodax PHA is used to manufacture a wide variety of products including straws, bottles and flexible film packaging
.
The second year of the project is focused on expanding the use of HOSO at a commercial level
.

Phil Van Trump, CTO of Danimer, said: “HOSO is readily available in the United States, which could make it a viable and cost-effective feedstock for Nodax production
.
We are delighted with the results of our first year of collaboration with the U.
S.
Soybean Board, We appreciate their continued collaboration in finding sustainable ways to meet the growing demand for biodegradable products
.
"

High oleic soybeans are only grown in the United States; the oil produced from the crop provides increased functionality and a better shelf life for food and manufacturing applications
.

Dr Carol Leggett, Director of Microbiology at Danimer, said: "Our first year of research has yielded excellent results showing that HOSO is a viable feedstock for the manufacture of Nodax
.
As we continue to scale up the commercial production of Nodax, HOSO is expected to become Valuable tools to strengthen our supply chain and bottom line
.
The progress we have made would not have been possible without the collaboration of Omni Tech International, SmithBucklin and the United Soybean Council and its farmer members
.
"

Ed Lammers, Farmer Director, United Soybean Council said, “Our 78 volunteer farmer directors work on behalf of all soybean farmers to maximize the value of their investments and increase preference for U.
S.
soybeans, so we are pleased to continue working with Danimer to drive Soy Innovation
.
"