The company relies on plant cell culture technology and bioreactor culture methods.
In March 2016, Naturex launched Ingenium, an open innovation program aimed at accelerating technological advances by supporting innovative ideas and groundbreaking techniques. Among the avenues explored are technological processes applied to plant cells and bioreactor cultivation methods, alternative ways of growing plant raw materials while ensuring full traceability, and preserving natural resources.
Agreement with Swedish company In Vitro Plant Tech (IVPT)
In Vitro Plant-tech specializes in the development and production of plant cell cultures. This technology enables the production of uniform, high-quality plant material, free from pesticides, heavy metals and adulteration. Under the terms of the agreement, IVPT will use its patented processes to develop and produce exclusive plant cell lines for Naturex.
The raw material obtained is identical to that from the plant world, and its components can be used as ingredients for functional foods, dietary supplements or cosmetics.
Collaboration with Belgium-based Green2Chem
Founded in 2011, Green2Chem's ambition is to develop and use bioreactors to grow all types of plant roots used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets. At a time when our societies are facing major health challenges, it may be necessary to accelerate the production of plant roots via technological innovations in order to make their beneficial health effects available to all. Naturex and Green2chem are working together on the issue of high value-added plant roots, helping to maximize the potential of the plant world.
" As the world leader in specialty plant ingredients, Naturex must anticipate future market needs.explains Marc Roller, Scientific Director at Naturex. Today, Naturex's business model is based exclusively on plant extracts from sustainable natural resources. We know, however, that we need to remain open to new, sustainably-produced natural raw materials. The Ingenium program is helping us to identify promising avenues and potential strategic avenues of investigation. Plant cell technology and bioreactor cultivation could be among them. "
