Starch Pros

March 18^th 2026

Turkish Tosmur completes EUR 86 mln starch factory in eastern Romania.

Turkish group Tosmur has completed a second starch factory in Medgidia, eastern Romania, bringing total investment in the project to EUR 86 million and effectively doubling production capacity, according to Ziarul Financiar.

The new facility follows the company’s initial EUR 75 million investment inaugurated in 2022. Construction on the expansion began in early 2024 and benefited from EUR 28 million in state aid.

Company officials said the total cost ultimately exceeded initial estimates.

“This month, we are carrying out the reception of the new factory and will start production gradually. The year has started well, and demand for our products remains strong,” said Daniel Costan, Tosmur’s finance director in Romania.

The investment was carried out through Omnia Europe, which had previously secured approval for a second state aid scheme tied to the expansion and job creation commitments.

The new unit has already added around 60 employees, bringing Tosmur’s total workforce in Romania to approximately 350.

Source: https://www.romania-insider.com/tosmur-starch-factory-romania-march-2026

March 14^th 2026

Resistant Starch: the ingredient blurring the line between starch and fibre.

As manufacturers push fibre levels higher while cutting sugar and protecting texture, resistant starch is emerging as one of the most practical tools in modern food reformulation.

Key takeaways:

• Resistant starch is gaining traction as manufacturers look for ways to increase fibre while maintaining the texture and structure of reformulated foods.
• Major brands across cereals, snacks and dairy are exploring resistant starch to balance sugar reduction, fibre enrichment and consumer-friendly formulations.
• By behaving like starch in recipes but fibre in the body, resistant starch is helping reshape how the industry approaches carbohydrate reformulation.

Product developers have been juggling the same set of reformulation pressures for years: less sugar, more fibre, higher protein and ingredient lists that still look consumer-friendly.
The difficulty isn’t always hitting the nutritional targets. The real challenge is keeping products enjoyable to eat once those changes are made.

Cut sugar and baked goods can stale faster. Add protein and snack bars turn dense. Push fibre too high and textures start to feel dry or gritty. Across categories – from cereals to beverages – manufacturers are discovering that reformulation often comes with unintended consequences.

That’s where resistant starch has begun to attract attention. It sits in an unusual grey area in food science. Technically it’s a starch, yet nutritionally it behaves much more like fibre. Instead of being rapidly digested into glucose, it moves through the small intestine largely intact before reaching the colon.

For product developers, however, the appeal is less about physiology and more about practicality. Resistant starch behaves like starch in a recipe, helping provide body and structure, while contributing fibre nutritionally. Few ingredients manage to bridge those two roles without significantly altering flavour or mouthfeel.

A fibre that behaves differently.

Unlike most carbohydrates, resistant starch isn’t fully broken down in the small intestine. Instead it reaches the colon where gut microbes ferment it into compounds known as short chain fatty acids.

Research has linked these compounds, particularly butyrate, to digestive health and metabolic regulation. A review published in Food Research International described resistant starch as a dietary component capable of improving glycaemic response while supporting beneficial gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid production.

Other studies have linked resistant starch consumption with improved insulin sensitivity and reduced post-meal glucose spikes in certain populations, including overweight or obese adults. Clinical trials and meta-analyses examining resistant starch intake have reported improvements in glucose regulation and insulin response. These findings have helped place the ingredient within broader conversations about metabolic health and blood sugar stability. More recent work has also explored how resistant starch influences the gut microbiome, with a 2024 study in Nature Metabolism reporting changes in microbial composition linked to improved metabolic outcomes.

For food companies, though, the scientific benefits only matter if the ingredient works in a formulation. Resistant starch’s advantage is that it delivers fibre without dramatically changing flavour or texture – something that traditional fibre sources sometimes struggle to achieve.

That combination makes it appealing to manufacturers trying to improve nutritional profiles without alienating consumers.

From breakfast bowls to snack aisles.

Breakfast cereals were among the earliest large-scale testing grounds for resistant starch.

Major brands including Kellogg’s, Nestlé and General Mills have steadily increased fibre levels across cereal portfolios over the past decade, often using resistant starch or high amylose starch blends to boost fibre without producing dense, bran-heavy products.

Snack bars face a similar balancing act. Products sold under brands such as Nature Valley, KIND and Clif increasingly rely on starch fractions and fibre blends to maintain a softer bite while improving nutritional credentials.

Bakery products have also begun experimenting with the ingredient. In breads, biscuits and baked snacks, resistant starch can replace part of the flour while contributing fibre and helping maintain crumb structure.

The trend extends beyond bakery. Reduced-sugar yoghurts and frozen desserts sometimes rely on starch-based systems – including resistant starch – to stabilise texture when fat or sugar levels fall. In beverages, particularly fibre-fortified drinks and smoothies, resistant starch can contribute fibre while maintaining drinkability.

Why resistant starch is spreading across food innovation.

Market data reflects that growing interest. Analysts estimate the global resistant Starch market at roughly $12-$13bn in 2025, with projections suggesting it could exceed $22bn within the next decade, growing at around 6%-7% annually.

Large ingredient companies have expanded their portfolios accordingly. Suppliers offer resistant starch products derived mainly from high-amylose maize as well as potato and cassava sources. These ingredients are typically positioned as functional fibres that support both nutrition and product performance.

Research groups are also exploring resistant starch derived from pulses, legumes and other plant crops as part of a wider shift toward plant-based ingredients and more sustainable supply chains.

Another factor supporting adoption is compatibility with clean label strategies. Because resistant starch originates from familiar plant sources, it generally integrates more comfortably into ingredient lists than certain stabilisers or hydrocolloids.

Its usefulness therefore comes less from novelty than from versatility. Resistant starch can increase fibre levels, moderate the glycaemic impact of carbohydrates and help maintain structure in reformulated products – often all at once.

That kind of multifunctionality is increasingly valuable as product development becomes more complex.

Resistant starch may never become a headline ingredient in the way protein or probiotics have. Most consumers will never notice it on an ingredient list. But inside development kitchens and R&D labs, it’s gaining attention because it solves problems.

Trehalose showed how a functional sugar can help protect texture when sweetness is reduced. Resistant starch reveals how fibre can begin to play a similar structural role. Together they point to a broader shift in how the food industry thinks about carbs.

The conversation is no longer only about how much carbohydrate a product contains. Increasingly, it’s about how those carbs behave – both in the body and in the food itself. Resistant starch sits right at the centre of that rethink.

Resistant starch 101.

What it is: A type of starch that resists digestion in the small intestine and behaves nutritionally more like dietary fibre.
Where it comes from: Naturally present in foods such as green bananas, potatoes, legumes and whole grains. Commercial resistant starch is typically derived from maize, potato or cassava starch.
Types: RS1 (physically inaccessible starch), RS2 (granular starch such as high amylose maize), RS3 retrograded starch formed during cooking and cooling) and RS4 (modified starch).
What it does: Supports fibre enrichment, moderates glycaemic response and helps maintain texture in reformulated foods.
How it’s used: Typically incorporated into flour systems, cereal bases or fibre blends. Depending on the application, resistant starch can replace part of the flour or starch component to increase fibre while helping maintain viscosity, crumb structure and mouthfeel.
Typical usage levels: In many bakery and snack formulations, resistant starch is used at around 5–20% of the flour or starch phase, depending on the product and the desired fibre target. Higher levels may be used in cereals or fibre-enriched snacks.
Applications: Breakfast cereals, baked goods, snack bars, dairy desserts, beverages and confectionery.
Regulatory status: Approved for food use in major markets including the US and EU. Certain forms can be counted as dietary fibre depending on the processing method and local regulatory definitions.
Why it matters now: Allows manufacturers to increase fibre while maintaining product structure as sugar reduction and reformulation accelerate.

Studies

E. Fuentes-Zaragoza, M.J. Riquelme-Navarrete, et al. Resistant starch as functional ingredient: A review. Food Research International, Volume 43, Issue 4, 2010, Pages 931 942, ISSN 0963-9969, doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2010.02.004

Maziarz MP, Preisendanz S, et al. Resistant starch lowers postprandial glucose and leptin in overweight adults consuming a moderate-to-high-fat diet: a randomized-controlled trial. Nutr J. 2017 Feb 21;16(1):14. doi: 10.1186/s12937-017-0235-8

Wang Y, Chen J, et al. Effects of the resistant starch on glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and lipid parameters in overweight or obese adults: a systematic review and meta analysis. Nutr Diabetes. 2019 Jun 5;9(1):19. doi: 10.1038/s41387-019-0086-9

Li H, Zhang L, Li J, et al. Resistant starch intake facilitates weight loss in humans by reshaping the gut microbiota. Nat Metab. 2024 Mar;6(3):578-597. doi: 10.1038/s42255 024-00988-y

Source: https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2026/03/11/resistant-starch-the-ingredient-blurring-starch-and-fibre/

February 28^th 2026

This plastic is made from protein, starch and nanoclay, and it vanishes in 13 weeks.

A new biodegradable film made from milk protein, starch, and nanoclay could offer a cleaner alternative to single-use food packaging. Credit: Shutterstock

As concerns grow about the environmental and health impacts of plastic waste, scientists are accelerating efforts to develop safer, biodegradable alternatives. At Flinders University in South Australia, several research teams are working on new materials designed to reduce pollution from single use plastics.

In a recent study published in Polymers, researchers created a thin, flexible film using calcium caseinate, a commercially available form of casein, the primary protein found in milk. They blended it with modified starch and bentonite nanoclay, then added glycerol and polyvinyl alcohol to improve durability and flexibility. The goal was to produce a material that performs like conventional plastic while being far more environmentally friendly.

Tests showed the material steadily decomposed under normal soil conditions, with full breakdown estimated within 13 weeks. The findings provide early evidence that combining biopolymers with nanoclay suspensions can produce functional films suitable for sustainable food packaging.

Safety was also evaluated. Microbial testing found bacterial colony levels remained within acceptable limits for non-antimicrobial biodegradable films, suggesting low toxicity.

“We would recommend further antibacterial evaluations in further testing and development,” says Professor Youhong Tang, a nanomaterials researcher at the Tonsley Campus, Flinders College of Science and Engineering.

Professor Tang, who is part of the Flinders Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology, says developing sustainable alternatives for food packaging and other single use plastic products is essential to slowing the rise of global pollution.

Many plastics contain thousands of chemical additives, including dyes and flame retardants. Some of these substances are toxic or linked to cancer. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned that without coordinated international action, plastic production could increase by 70% between 2020 and 2040, surpassing 700 million tonnes annually.

Although certain plastics are technically reusable, most are discarded after one use. An analysis published in Nature estimates that about 60% of plastics are single use, and only 10% are recycled. Plastic production has climbed from 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 475 million tonnes by 2022, roughly equivalent to the weight of 250 million cars.

The project involved collaboration with chemical engineering researchers in Colombia, including Nikolay Estiven Gomez Mesa and Professor Alis Yovana Pataquiva-Mateus from the Department of Engineering at Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano. Their work in the Nanobioengineering Research Group in Bogotá focused on developing new polymer materials.

“We were experimenting with caseinates to make milk-based nanofibers and found that it could be used to cast polymers similar to common packaging materials,” says Mr. Gomez.

“From there, we began exploring ways to improve their properties by introducing natural and abundant components such as starch, and also a biodegradable polymer with remarkable mechanical features. This also opened the opportunity to integrate nanoclays, like bentonite, which can enhance the film’s strength and barrier performance.

“The entire formulation was designed to use inexpensive ingredients that are biodegradable and environmentally friendly to create a sustainable alternative with enhanced characteristics.”

Professor Pataquiva-Mateus emphasizes the broader impact of the work. “Everyone can play a part in reducing their plastic use, and finding biodegradable polymer alternatives is an important part of science helping to find solutions for industry, consumers, and the environment.

“Most of our single use plastic comes from food packaging, so these sorts of options should be explored further and join the circular economy revolution to conserve resources.”

Sources: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260227071922.htm and https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/17/16/2207

February 15^th 2026

US-based Ingredion sells 75 percent stake in Pakistan’s leading starch producer to Nishat Group.

US-based firm Ingredion Incorporated has formally agreed to sell up to 75% of its stake in Rafhan Maize Products, a leading Pakistani starch and food ingredients manufacturer, to Pakistan’s Nishat Group, Ingredion’s financial adviser said on Sunday.

Rafhan Maize is a subsidiary of Ingredion Incorporated, a prominent global corn refiner which began its operations in Pakistan as a pioneer of the corn refining industry in 1953. Over the last six decades, Rafhan Maize says it has expanded operations to become one of the country’s premier agro-based industries.

Nishat Group, meanwhile, is a Pakistani private sector business conglomerate. Brokerage firm Arif Habib Limited acted as the exclusive financial adviser to Ingredion Incorporated for the transaction.

“This landmark transaction ranks among the largest M&A deals in Pakistan in nearly two decades, giving the Nishat Group a controlling stake in Rafhan Maize,” Shahid Ali Habib, chief executive officer of Arif Habib Ltd., said in a statement.

He added that Rafhan Maize has a market capitalization of approximately Rs100 billion [$355 million].

Habib described Rafhan Maize as a “market leader” in Pakistan’s starch industry, operating three production facilities nationwide with a production capacity more than five times its nearest competitor.

“Ingredion shall retain a strategic stake in the company and continue to support the Nishat Group,” he added.

Source: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2633090/amp

February 02^nd 2026

Electrospinning of nanofibers and the functional potential of starch – a comprehensive review.

Abstract.

Electrospinning has emerged as a powerful nanofabrication technique for producing continuous polymer nanofibers with diameters ranging from sub-micrometers to nanometers. This technique is important in several discipline areas which are able to make high-surface-area materials with tunable properties that will allow applications for biomedicine, filtration, and tissue engineering. This review explores both needle-based and needleless electrospinning methods, including their sub-techniques, advantages, limitations, and influencing process parameters. Particular attention is given to how electric field strength, solution properties, and environmental factors affect nanofiber morphology and performance. In parallel, the review delves into the physicochemical characteristics and structural dynamics of starch, a biodegradable and renewable polysaccharide with vast potential in nanotechnology and food science. The phenomena of starch gelatinization and retrogradation are examined with respect to their functional implications in fiber formation and food applications. By integrating insights from electrospinning and starch science, this study highlights the prospects for developing starch-based nanofibers, offering sustainable solutions for biomedical, packaging, and dietary applications. This paper, in contrast to the most recent reviews describing electrospinning principles or the properties of starch independently, does provide a meaningful comparison of needle-based versus needleless techniques, and evaluate the effects of starch’s physicochemical transitions on nanofiber performance. This comparative analysis can identify existing gaps, and show where starch-based systems were stronger than synthetic polymers with regards to sustainability, but weaker in mechanical strength and scalability. The paper concludes with future research directions that bridge nanotechnology and biopolymer engineering.

Source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11671-026-04434-8

January 23^rd 2026

Chinese scientists turn carbon dioxide to starch with 10-fold productivity boost.

Feat seen to pave the way for industrial starch production without relying on water- and land-intensive corn.

The key to reducing the cost of “carbon dioxide to starch” lies in this issue.

Recently, the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Tianjin Institute of Industry and Biotechnology) completed a new round of tests on carbon dioxide artificial synthesis of starch, and the starch synthesis output reached a new high, more than 10 times higher than in 2021.

In 2021, de novo synthesis of carbon dioxide to starch was published in Science. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, the synthetic starch project has completed multiple rounds of iterative testing, improving efficiency year by year, decreasing cost year by year, and getting closer and closer to the goal of industrial application.

On October 13, 2025, the first International Conference on Carbon Dioxide Fixation and Biotransformation was held in Tianjin. At the meeting, the International Science Program for Carbon Dioxide Biotransformation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was officially launched, and the Tianjin Initiative on Carbon Dioxide Biotransformation for Global Sustainable Development was released. The international scientific program is led by Tianjin Institute of Industry and Technology, aiming to unite global scientific research forces to deeply analyze the mechanism of carbon dioxide fixation and transformation, and then design and build a more efficient artificial biological system, which is expected to make major breakthroughs in the theory and technology of carbon dioxide biotransformation, and open up a new path to address global challenges such as climate change and food security.

“This is a great encouragement for us, and I believe it will be of great help to our scientific research work in the future.” Cai Tao, a researcher at the Tianjin Institute of Engineering and Biotechnology, said.

From basic research to applied research

On October 29, 2025, Cai Tao went to the hospital for a physical examination. As soon as he heard that his unit was the Tianjin Institute of Industry and Biological Sciences, the doctor in charge of the physical examination immediately came to his senses and asked him: “How is your starch doing?” When will everyone be able to eat it? ”

“I feel that the people are really concerned about our scientific research projects, and the whole society has high expectations for us, and we must shoulder this responsibility.” Cai Tao said.

From obscurity to widespread known, the synthetic starch project has gone through 10 years. The turning point came in 2021, when Tianjin Institute of Industry and Engineering realized the de novo synthesis of starch from carbon dioxide driven by electricity/hydrogen energy for the first time in the world through de novo design and precise regulation of complex metabolic pathways.

After the release of the results, it suddenly detonated the academic circle and public opinion, and “carbon dioxide synthetic starch” quickly became a hot topic.

Experts at home and abroad said that the achievement is “a typical ‘from 0 to 1’ original breakthrough”; It is a major breakthrough in expanding and improving the ability of artificial photosynthesis, which is of great significance. It will not only have a revolutionary impact on future agricultural production, especially food production, but also be a milestone for the development of the global biomanufacturing industry.

For some time after the paper was published, the team members’ mobile phones kept ringing. In addition to media reports and congratulations from peers, research teams, biotechnology companies, and consulting companies also came to seek cooperation. Subsequently, there are people’s expectations and doubts about the industrialization of this achievement.

“Can this technology be implemented and tested for industrialization”, “How long will it take to achieve the leap from ‘from 1 to 10′”, “Where is the ‘stuck neck’ technology of engineering testing”, “Starch is so cheap, your artificially synthesized starch is so expensive, why spend time and effort to do it”…… Cai Tao and his team faced all kinds of torture and pressure.

“My heart was always hanging and anxious during that time. Industrial testing brings greater challenges, and it is not easy to establish a professional research team. Cai Tao said.

In August 2022, Tianjin Institute of Industry and Engineering established the Synthetic Starch Research Center (hereinafter referred to as the Starch Center) under the management framework of the overall research department to accelerate industrial application.

“Industrialization is our original ideal and ultimate goal. The initial climb was so difficult, but halfway up the way but didn’t leave, how could you be willing? Ma Yanhe, founding director of Tianjin Institute of Engineering and Students, said.

At present, the Starch Center has formed a core team of more than 30 people, uniting the superior R&D forces inside and outside the institute to focus on solving the core basic scientific problems restricting the cost of artificial starch.

Improve synthesis efficiency and reduce production costs

Efficiency and cost are the decisive factors for realizing the industrialization demonstration of synthetic starch, whether it is short-term, medium-term or long-term goals, the essence is to improve synthesis efficiency and gradually reduce costs.

If the cost of synthetic starch can be reduced to the level of agricultural planting, it will greatly save cultivated land and freshwater resources, reduce the negative impact of pesticides and fertilizers on the environment, and improve the level of human food security. At the same time, the raw material for synthetic starch is carbon dioxide in industrial waste gas, which is conducive to cracking our country’s resource and environmental constraints and achieving the “double carbon” goal.

At the end of 2022, the carbon dioxide synthetic starch engineering test platform was completed and started testing.

The key to determining the efficiency and cost of artificial starch synthesis lies in enzymes, which are inseparable from every step of the synthesis reaction. The process of artificial synthesis of starch requires the participation of more than 10 kinds of enzymes, including an artificial enzyme – formaldehyde polymerase, which accounts for half of the amount in the reaction system, which is an out-and-out “handle”.

“Formaldehyde polymerase is extremely important and extremely stubborn, and we try every means to transform it. At present, the activity of this enzyme has been greatly improved on the basis of 2021. “This means that its dosage in the entire reaction system will be significantly reduced, and the cost of enzymes will be further reduced.” ”

In addition, when testing in a fermenter, it is important to be able to “resist beating and stress” due to changes in the environment in which enzymes act. If the stability of the enzyme is insufficient, it can be easily inactivated.

“To enhance the stability of enzymes, we designed thousands of enzyme mutants and verified them one by one. According to the initial verification results, we reviewed, designed, tested, and verified again, selected the best among the best, selected the best among the best, and selected the enzyme with the best performance for scale-up testing. Cai Tao said.

In addition to improving enzyme activity and enhancing enzyme stability, another way to reduce costs is to fix enzymes. In short, it is to turn “disposable” enzymes into enzymes that can be “reused”. 4 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, week…… Every test and modification carried out by researchers in the laboratory is constantly extending the life of the enzyme on the pilot line.

The way of scientific research is changing, but the organizational model remains unchanged

Unlike many scientific research organization models that rely on the responsibility system of the research team leader, the carbon dioxide synthesis starch project was carried out in an organized mode from the beginning, adopting the three-dimensional scientific research organization model of “overall research department, research group, and platform laboratory”.

Under the three-dimensional scientific research organization model, the starch center organizes and concentrates advantageous forces to coordinate and allocate resources, personnel and equipment, breaks the fragmentation model of scientific research that the research group is independent and dispersed, cannot effectively organize major projects, and cannot effectively combine research and development with industrial application, and accelerate the research and development of projects.

Cai Tao introduced: “We will disassemble and refine the specific scientific research tasks, and then cooperate with the superior scientific research teams inside and outside the institute, and finally carry out system integration in the starch center to complete the project implementation.” In this way, the final result is not a simple ‘platter’, but a complete ‘dish’. ”

Since the start of the artificial starch work, the scientific research organization model has been consistent. In recent years, artificial intelligence has been widely used in knowledge acquisition, data analysis, achievement transformation, etc., improving scientific research efficiency and changing traditional scientific research methods.

In terms of enzyme modification and design, it was originally necessary to study the structure and catalytic mechanism of enzymes based on databases or published literature, design point-directed mutations to modify proteins, and then verify their activity through experiments. This process is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also often unsatisfactory due to the limitations of cognitive boundaries. But now, researchers use artificial intelligence large models to predict mutation combinations, accelerating the trial and error process, making experimental goals clearer and more efficient.

Although artificial intelligence has saved a lot of manpower and material resources, as the head of the starch center, Cai Tao is still not relaxed. “We’ve been moving under pressure for so many years. It is difficult to go from 0 to 1′, it is also difficult to reduce costs, and it is even more difficult to achieve industrial application in the end. Cai Tao said, “Despite this, we still have to rise to the challenge.” There is hope only if you do it, and there is nothing if you don’t do it. ”

Cai Tao said: “The artificial starch scientific research team has always firmly believed that although the dream is far away, it can be achieved if it is chased; Although the wish is difficult, it can be fulfilled if you hold on. ”

Source: https://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2026/1/559185.shtm

January 19^th 2026

Emsland Group launches Emjel® LC 15, redefining vegan and vegetarian jellies with gelatin-like performance.

Emsland Group has unveiled a plant-based functional starch to help vegan and vegetarian confectionery manufacturers overcome the traditional limitations of starch systems. The ingredient, Emjel LC 15, “redefines” jelly and gum production by enabling the formulation of gelatin-free products with smoother, elastic textures.

Confectionery manufacturers can use the ingredient to achieve a “gelatin-like” texture and clear appearance, enhancing consumer appeal. It can also help them expand into vegan, halal, and kosher markets with a fully plant-based solution.

Emjel LC 15, being plant-based, aligns with the emerging trend in passive health claim launches in sugar confectionery products, whose market is expected to grow at 3% and 2% in value and volume by 2027, according to Innova Market Insights data.

Emsland manufactures vegetable-derived food ingredients, such as potato and pea starches, proteins, fibers, flakes, granules for bakery, snacks, meat analogs, dairy alternatives, coatings, and clean label applications. The company is headquartered in Emlichheim, Germany.

Conventional starch-based jellies need high cooking temperatures and complex processing conditions to achieve full gelatinization and the desired texture.

However, Emsland says its ingredient uses atmospheric cooking — a method that works without pressure or vacuum. It offers the same “processing ease” traditionally associated with gelatin.

Atmospheric cooking improves the thermostability of confectionery products while maintaining their structure at high temperatures, where gelatin-based products may soften or melt.

The process also protects sensitive ingredients such as natural flavors, colors, and vitamins, and lowers energy consumption and costs through reduced cooking temperatures.

Source: https://www.emsland-group.de/en/new_product_emjel-lc-15/

January 13^th 2026

Starch sachets release fertilizer in a controlled manner and can replace petroleum-derived polymers.

An innovative product with the potential to replace polymers used in soil fertilizers is being developed in São Carlos in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

The innovation consists of starch sachets reinforced with nanoparticles that contain powdered or granulated fertilizers. Starch is a biodegradable polymer, and in sachet form, it can be filled with a mixture of various nutrients that are essential for crops.

This work is enabled by a collaboration between the National Nanotechnology Laboratory for Agriculture (LNNA) of EMBRAPA Instrumentation, one of the decentralized units of EMBRAPA (the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), and the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar).

“There are essential and irreplaceable nutrients for plants, such as the trio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium [NPK]—usually applied to the soil in the form of highly soluble potassium chloride salt. Farmers generally apply a large amount to the field to ensure absorption. However, the cultivated plant cannot immediately absorb all of this fertilizer,” explains chemist João Otávio Donizette Malafatti.

“This excess becomes an economic loss and can contaminate the surrounding environment. The sachets aim to control the release so that the plant feeds gradually. In this sense, we modulate different types of sachets depending on the nutrients we’re going to add inside them.”

Malafatti is the first author of the resulting article published in the Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials. She was supervised by EMBRAPA Instrumentation researcher Elaine Cristina Paris. Paris is a researcher in the Graduate Program in Chemistry (PPGQ) at UFSCar.

Malafatti developed starch sachets that were processed with urea and citric acid and reinforced with zeolite that was rich in copper ions. Zeolite is a porous mineral with a high adsorption capacity for ions, such as copper.

“Starch is a material that’s susceptible to degradation,” she says. “Therefore, a formulation is needed so that the sachets preserve their characteristics until they reach their destination in the soil. In this process, the copper ions present in zeolite have a dual function: They have great antimicrobial properties, both for fungi and bacteria, controlling the growth of microorganisms, and, in addition, they’re sources of mineral micronutrients, which are subsequently absorbed by the roots.”

In the study, the presence of copper controlled the growth of the fungus Alternaria alternata, Malafatti explains: “The goal is to strike a balance between preserving the sachets in the final application in the soil and subsequently making their contents available to the external environment.”

According to Malafatti, biodegradable polymers and starch matrices still must overcome certain challenges compared to similar petroleum-derived products, especially regarding mechanical resistance and stability over time. Therefore, the research seeks to develop formulations capable of improving these properties.

In the study, the group evaluated various zeolite concentrations and found that a maximum value of 3% relative to starch significantly increased mechanical resistance. Above that limit, however, the particles tend to agglomerate, which weakens the film. In addition to releasing nutrients, zeolite fulfills another function during periods of drought.

“It can store water because it’s very porous and hydrophilic, meaning it has a high affinity for water molecules,” Paris explains. The researcher compares the sachet to a tea bag to which granular fertilizer is added.

According to the scientists, the sachets are versatile because they increase the solubility of stored fertilizers and control the release of highly soluble sources. This reduces fertilizer loss through aerial dispersion and leaching from rainfall.

In previous work supervised by Paris, UFSCar doctoral student Camila Rodrigues Sciena had investigated a fertilizer candidate: hydroxyapatite, a phosphorus source. The goal was to increase its solubility. The scientists discovered that acidifying the medium using pectin in the starch sachet composition increased solubility when combined with nanoparticulated hydroxyapatite.

“With water, the starch becomes gelatinous and holds the fertilizer in the soil available for the plant, so that future losses due to rain or wind can be minimized. The goal is to reduce percolation [the passage of water through porous material, causing the extraction of compounds] and the dragging of particulate fertilizer inside the sachet,” says Sciena.

In the case of Malafatti’s work, the group is working with a highly soluble fertilizer that quickly dissolves when it comes into contact with water.

“In this case, the intention is for the fertilizer to be released gradually, avoiding losses due to leaching or air dispersion. It’s a sustained release, which will depend on the formulation of the sachets,” says Paris.

To test the nutrient release capacity, the sachets were kept in an aqueous medium for 30 days. The experiment demonstrated the partial release of copper ions (7 mg L-1) and urea (300 mg L-1). The hydrophilic properties of the sachets favored contact with the external environment, helping water permeation and potassium chloride release.

“The sachets obtained could minimize losses in fertilizer application, in addition to controlling the amount of nutrient that would be in contact with the soil,” say the authors.

Solubility and cytotoxicity tests were also performed on copper zeolite to determine its properties and potential interaction with the environment after release from the sachets. Cytotoxicity tests performed on cress root growth suggest 92% germination viability after one hour of exposure to zeolite, indicating its potential use in agriculture.

To verify copper availability, solubility tests were performed in water (neutral pH) and citric acid. Desorption efficiency, or the process by which a substance is released from the mass or surface of another substance, increased the availability of copper in an acidic environment, rising from 5% to 45% of the expected total.

According to Paris, ongoing research is seeking alternatives to reduce the cost of processes and materials for the prolonged release of fertilizers.

“Starch is a promising raw material, although the addition of extra components can influence the final cost of the material. In Malafatti’s work, we didn’t use starch from other sources, such as waste, for example. It’s commercial starch,” says the researcher. “But for soil fertilization, it isn’t necessary to use high-purity starch, such as that used in the food industry. So, the goal is to try to make it as cheap as possible so that agribusiness can incorporate it. Thus, the sachets have greater potential to be effectively marketed, contributing to technological advancements in agriculture.”

Another advantage is that the added fertilizer does not affect the formulation or format of the sachet during processing.

“Any granular or particulate fertilizer can be inserted into the sachet, which is another positive point for its incorporation by the industry,” Malafatti points out. Additionally, the sachet eliminates the need for agricultural workers to handle fertilizers in particle form directly.

According to Paris, the technology is still in the laboratory phase. Initial applications would be in landscaping, gardening, hydroponics, and greenhouses. For large-scale agricultural production, however, optimizations in scaling and economic viability are necessary, which are the next steps planned by the group.

Sciena points out that the sachet can be used for different crops.

“Grapes have different needs than tomatoes, for example. It’s a form of customized fertilization where you can adapt the mixture of nutrients and the type of sachet. One can be more acidic to enhance the solubilization of poorly soluble fertilizer, while another can be less acidic to slowly solubilize soluble fertilizer,” she summarizes.

Source: https://phys.org/news/2026-01-starch-sachets-fertilizer-manner-petroleum.html and https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10904-025-03655-1

December 30^th 2025

Season’s Greetings

December 15^th 2025

Researchers revive old pea varieties in huge seed collection: ‘An untapped gold mine for the future’.

The Nordic gene bank, NordGen, contains almost 2,000 different types of peas. Using a new AI method, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have rediscovered 51 old pea varieties that are no longer used in agriculture but may prove promising for the production of plant-based foods. The method is a shortcut to finding new resources in the green treasure troves that gene banks’ enormous seed collections represent.

The demand for plant-based foods is increasing worldwide. Peas in particular are a burgeoning source of high protein content as a substitute for meat. With their small climate footprint, peas are sustainable to grow and provide a high yield. However, the pea varieties we grow today require intensive industrial processing.

“Today, we use very few pea varieties in agriculture, which are primarily produced for their properties as pig feed, but are not intended as protein in a plant-based burger. Just as an apple is not just an apple, a pea is not just a pea, even though it may seem that way in the supermarket,” says Associate Professor René Lametsch from the Department of Food Science.

In the quest to find suitable pea varieties, researchers from the Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen have developed a new AI method. They have unleashed it on the Nordic gene bank NordGen, which contains almost 2,000 different types of peas, in order to identify old pea varieties that are well suited as plant protein for humans.

“The gene banks contain an enormous variety that is largely untapped today. Our method makes it possible to utilize the plant resources in the gene bank and quickly find the most interesting types,” says René Lametsch.

Using the new AI method, the researchers have found 51 old pea varieties that are no longer used in agriculture but appear to have promising properties as plant food, including high starch and protein content.

The method can automatically measure the shape, color, size and surface of the seeds from ordinary photographs. The combination of image data and information about protein content makes it possible for the AI to select a small but representative sample of peas, which can then be analyzed in depth.

“There are widely varying characteristics from variety to variety, especially in terms of starch and protein content, so it can make a lot of sense to revive some of the old varieties in our search for good ingredients for new types of plant-based foods,” says René Lametsch.

The study shows that the appearance of the seeds is closely related to their chemical composition. One feature in particular—how smooth or wrinkled the seed is—is closely linked to the type of starch the pea contains. This means that, for the first time, researchers can partially predict chemical properties based on images alone.

“We see a surprisingly large variation in the balance between the two key proteins in peas, legumin and vicilin—far greater than in today’s commercial varieties. This makes the gene bank’s old peas an untapped gold mine for the development of future plant-based foods,” concludes René Lametsch.

Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-12-revive-pea-varieties-huge-seed.html