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The EU is funding a research project that intends to use waste from organic farming (plant stalks, fruit and vegetable skins, husks and pods) to produce green surfactants for natural cosmetics. The project— sustainable surfactant production from renewable resources through natural fermentation for applications in natural, organically certified products—was launched in January 2012.

Shampoos, shower gels and bath additives consist of up to 40 percent surfactants. They reduce the surface tension of water so that oil can be mixed with water. Annually, about 18 million tons of surfactants are manufactured, mainly by chemical means and on a petroleum base. A quarter is now manufactured from the oils of renewable resources, generally coconut or palm kernel oil. Microorganisms also produce washing-active substances that are called green surfactants; however, only few of these are manufactured industrially since production is comparatively expensive. In order to make green surfactants economically profitable for natural cosmetics, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB are developing a sustainable, cost-cutting production process in this EU-funded project.

The researchers intend to use wastes containing cellulose or oil and residual materials from organic farming as resources for a biotechnological process. Cellulose is a natural polymer consisting of sugar units that occurs in all plant components. If cellulose is converted into its basic building block glucose, the sugar molecules are available to the microorganisms as a substrate.

“Various bacteria and fungi form green surfactants form these sugars or also oils under natural conditions," said biologist and engineer Susanne Zibek. “The microorganisms can be cultivated in a bioreactor and the green surfactants obtained industrially."

The project involves examining various naturally occurring strains of microorganisms for their potential applications. Important parameters for the fermentation process are: which strains can be cultivated in a stable manner in the bioreactor, which surfactants they produce and in what quantities. A further challenge for the researchers is the economical and, at the same time, ecological purification of the substances from the fermentation broth.

“Here, we will only use resource-conserving conversion and processing methods," explained Ana Lucia Vasquez, who coordinates the project with all the partners.

Because of their more complex structure, some green surfactants even have an anti-microbial effect which, as a component of cleaning agents, makes them interesting for skin care. Other surfactants are foaming agents and bind dirt, which is why they occur in shower gels and shampoos.

“The use of waste products from organic farming both reduces the production costs and also ensures the sustainability of the biosurfactants," Vasquez said. “We will accompany all the certification steps. In this way large quantities of waste from certified ecological farming can be used effectively."

Sustainable Cosmetics Summit
The use of green surfactants in natural & organic personal care products will be covered in the next edition of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, taking place in New York on 17-19th May 2012. The 7th edition of this international series of summits has a dedicated session on green formulations, tacking some of the major technical issues associated with formulating natural and organic cosmetics. More details is on the website

Source: Press Release

Sales of organic produce in Sweden grew by 11% in 2011, according to Krav. This is the fourth consecutive year that organic food sales increased. A total 4,042 farmers in Sweden now produce organic produce, an increase of 220 from 2010. The most popular organic products are milk, eggs, and coffee, while the newspaper writes that organic herbs are a rapidly growing organic food segment. Other popular categories include bread, baby food, and alcohol.

The Coop and ICA supermarkets comprise most organic product sales. Research shows they each had 21% sales share, the public sector market has 15% share, the Swedish state monopoly alcohol retailer Systembolaget has 12%, Axfood supermarket 8%, hotels and restaurants 8%, Bergendahls supermarkets 3% and other sales channels 12%.

According to Sifo, one in five Swedish consumers are interested in buying more organic foods. Research shows 53% of Swedes buy Krav-labelled organic food sometimes, and 19% buy it as often as they can.

Source: Dagens Nyheter / Fri Köpenskap
 

Migros, the largest retailer in Switzerland, wants to extend its trade in organic products and is therefore, collaborating with the German organic supermarket chain Alnatura. At the end of this summer Migros will open their first test shop in Zürich-Höngg under the name 'Alnatura-Migros'.

In the new Alnatura-Migros shop only organic products from Alnatura, Migros and other organic brands will be sold. The main focus is on food and drink, but shower products, salves and natural cosmetics will also be sold. Alcoholic drinks will not be sold.

Alnatura GmbH has 67 organic supermarkets in 39 German cities at the moment. Besides this, over 1,000 different organic foods are produced under the brand Alnatura, which are not only sold in their own shops, but also in those of various trading partners. Alnatura and Migros see many similarities between their company principles. Things like sustainability and cultural initiative are part of the fundamental ideas of both companies.

Migros sees a lot of potential in the collaboration with Alnatura. Götz Rehn, founder and manager of Alnatura, sees the collaboration as a good chance to strengthen the organic trade in Switzerland. The duration of the testing phase in Zürich-Höngg is not yet known. The goal is to expand on a medium term.

Organic Monitor Comment
Migros is the latest large food retailer to make a foray in organic food retailing. Auchan, a leading French retail group, has also announced its it opening an organic food store under the Coeur de Nature banner. Monoprix already operates the leading chain of organic food stores in Paris. The same trend is occurring in North America and Asia. Large food retailers are attracted to higher margins of organic & natural products; 'retailing of ethical goods' is also a way of shoring up retailer's CSR and sustainability credentials.

Ethical retailing will be featured in the upcoming Sustainable Foods Summit. Taking place in Amsterdam on 7-8th June, the summit will feature developments in the retail and marketing of sustainable foods. More details is available from the website

Source: Fresh Plaza / Organic Monitor