WUR and Isobionics have captured the taste and scent

Producers of soft drinks, foods, and personal care products use plant-based oils to enhance flavour or scent. Well-known examples include orange oil, mint oil, patchouli oil and lavender oil. These ingredients are extracted from plant material, which is not always available in sufficient quantity or quality due to poor harvests or climate change.

Isobionics addresses this problem, explains Chief Technology Officer Jules Beekwilder. “We produce flavours and fragrances through fermentation. We use around fifteen types of bacteria in this process. With them, we can replicate the flavours and scents of plants very precisely. This allows the industry to produce oils of consistently high quality.”

When challenges arise, Isobionics partners with WUR. Beekwilder: “Our collaboration started in 2009, when we wanted to reproduce a specific aroma from orange oil. We had some knowledge in-house, but WUR had much more expertise in how plants produce compounds and how bacteria can mimic that. With their help, we succeeded in creating that ingredient.”

The added value of WUR lies not only in their expertise, but also in their advanced equipment, says Beekwilder. “They are excellent at gathering and processing data and at identifying and analysing compounds. To truly understand how a plant works, you have to zoom in on the protein and DNA level. That involves very large datasets. The combination of deep expertise and advanced analytical tools makes WUR the ideal partner for us.”

The results of a research project often feed directly into Isobionics’ product development. Beekwilder: “We usually receive a flavour compound in a few milligrams. Our main task is to scale it up so that we can supply it to customers. Scaling up often takes several years. This process is also interesting for WUR, as it reveals additional details when applying on a larger scale.”

Thanks to the collaboration with WUR, Isobionics is able to bring one or two new products to market each year. “Sometimes these are made for specific customers, but we also develop for the broader market. If we see that certain plant materials are increasingly affected by climate change or pests, we look for microbial solutions. This allows us to support the industry before problems escalate. WUR enables us to keep innovating and stay ahead.”

This creates a major advantage in a market that increasingly demands sustainable solutions, Beekwilder continues. “Large producers of food and personal care products, such as Unilever and Procter & Gamble, are setting higher environmental and sustainability standards for their suppliers. If we can provide them with a biological rather than a synthetic solution, it improves their sustainability scores. At the same time, it allows us to contribute to broader societal impact.”

WUR’s scientific support ensures that Isobionics can present a well-substantiated case to its customers. “When you work on the basis of solid expertise, the end product is almost always of high quality. I also greatly value the communication. WUR is very transparent in what they do, and they keep us updated throughout the process. If we feel we need to change direction during a project, that is always possible. They are very flexible in that respect. And thanks to our collaboration agreement, we don’t have to start from scratch with every new project. We can act quickly and directly reach the right experts when needed.”