Food colorants are widely used in the food and beverage industry and can be obtained from various sources such as fruits, vegetables, plants, insects, mineral ores, or petrochemical sources. However, microbial fermentation has become a popular alternative due to its potential to yield sustainable and bio-based ingredients. In an effort to produce purple pigment violacein and its derivatives, Danish bio-based ingredients maker Octarine Bio has partnered with US cell programming company Ginkgo Bioworks.
The partnership focuses on compounds in the tryptophan pathway and aims to leverage enzymatic derivatization and strain engineering to achieve improved production levels and superior color properties. Violacein, a naturally occurring pigment, has a deep purple hue and has derivatives that include green, blue, and pink pigments. These colors also possess bioactive properties such as being anti-microbial, antioxidant, and UV-protective.
The partnership seeks to initially target the textile industry, which is subject to relatively lower levels of regulation. However, violacein has also been shown to have potential for food applications, which Octarine Bio is currently investigating with their partners. For the synthetic biology-derived pigment to enter the food and beverage market in Europe, it would require Novel Foods pre-market authorization from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which Octarine Bio has yet to submit.
The companies believe that the partnership presents a significant opportunity to introduce new bioactive colors and dyes that address consumer demands for safer, healthier, and more sustainable alternatives. As Ena Cratsenburg, Chief Business Officer at Ginkgo Bioworks stated, “Natural colors and dyes constitute a significant and ever-expanding market, especially given the heightened awareness from companies and the concerns of consumers about the harmful effects of conventional manufacturing processes.”
Octarine Bio’s co-founder and CEO, Dr. Nethaji Gallage, expressed excitement about the partnership and the potential to improve the bio-based production process for its tryptophan program, focusing on a class of highly sought-after natural colors and dyes in a difficult to source color spectra. This collaboration is not Ginkgo Bioworks’ first foray into microbial fermentation-derived natural colors, having previously partnered with Israeli start-up Phytolon to develop a range of colors within the yellow-to-purple spectrum.
The collaboration has the potential to expand to other tryptophan-derived compounds and demonstrates the growing trend towards sustainable and bio-based ingredients in the food and beverage industry.
