carbohydrates for nutrition and health - Carbohydrate Competence ...

highlights of demand-driven carbohydrate research
carbohydrate conversion and processing
WP 10 carbohydrate-based polymers
Dr. Jacco van Haveren
Developing applications outside
of the known and existing application areas
WP 10 cooperation:
AVEBE, Royal Cosun, Wageningen UR, University of Groningen, TNO Healthy Living
Naturally occurring bio-polymers like
starch have a limited application scope in
the non-food area since they are watersensitive
and labile upon heating. Can we
develop new applications to expand their
possibilities?
‘This work package aims at developing
new chemical and polymer blending
technologies to create carbohydratebased
polymers that have reduced water
absorption characteristics compared to
the current starch and hemicellulosesbased
polymers,’ explains dr. Jacco van
Haveren, programme manager Sustainable
Chemistry at Food & Bio-based Research
Wageningen UR. ‘Our project aims to
develop uses outside of the known and
existing application areas.’
Reducing costs
Novel potato starch and/or waxy potato
starch-based products are potentially
suitable for non-food applications such as
adhesives or paper coating and furan-based
polymers have the potential to replace
e.g. PET bottles, fleece textile or aramid
fibres. Such products are now being
produced at million tonnes/year quantities,
from fossil resources. For industrial
partners AVEBE and Royal Cosun, finding
new applications can offer opportunities
to reduce their raw material production
costs and expand their portfolio to new
bio-based products.
Towards a healthier and sustainable society
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