Academic Centre
In September 2020, the team of the Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology of the Institute of Biology of the University of Latvia (UL) completed the implementation of the 1st stage of the project “Prototyping of biopolymer technology for obtaining nanostructured products from production by-products” (project no. KC-PI-2020/38). The project was implemented within the framework of the measure “Support for Commercialization of Research Results” administered by the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) with the support of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
In Phase 1 of the project, a feasibility study was carried out and a commercialization strategy was developed to develop biopolymer production technology to the point where it could be taken over in an industrial process, i.e. scaled and adapted for production for further use in new products. The technology developed by the team of scientists of the Institute of Biology of the University of Latvia is based on the acquisition of biopolymers by microbial synthesis. One of the results of scientific research is related to the isolation and patenting of the bacterial cellulose (BC) synthesizing strain K. rhaeticus P 1463. The use of this strain provides an increased rate and productivity of BC synthesis. BC isolate and other additives are added to the BC obtained with this strain, creating a composite material with excellent physical and mechanical properties. Due to the variety of properties, the resulting composite material can be used in the development of various products, including packaging, filtration materials, food, medical products, electronics, cosmetics. This makes the material a prospect for production on a commercial scale.
