Naturex, a French company specialising in plant-based natural ingredients, is partnering with FPInnovations, a leading player of the Canadian forestry industry, in order to develop new active molecules derived from Canadian forest biomass for food industry and cosmetics applications.

"Trees of the Canadian forest represent an enormous reserve of innovative active molecules, both in terms of volume and biodiversity, » says Antoine Bily, Naturex’s chief research and development - Photo : shutterstock.com © Conny Sjostrom

FPInovations and Naturex will combine their know-how in managing natural resources and the preservation of biodiversity as well as their scientific and technological expertise in the research of active molecules. FPInnovations will both ensure access to Canadian forest biomass and contribute additional expertise in extractable wood derivatives, and Naturex will focus on the identification and extraction of natural active ingredients in order to demonstrate the potential of this biomass as a source of specialty plant-based natural ingredients.

According to Naturex, the partnership would enable the forestry industry to create new industry applications and accelerate uses beyond traditional markets, and to the cosmetics industry to access new natural and certified sustainable bioresources for the production of ingredients to create innovative solutions and drive new consumer practices ahead of market trends.

The company also explains that the use of forest biomass plays an important part in the fight against climate change. “To achieve this goal, it is necessary to use and recover each of the wood components, and recover the extractables to increase the economic value of forest biomass. This represents an important part of building a biobased economy and reducing environmental impacts.