From ocean innovation to green preservation: Sustainability zone highlights – day 2

The second day at the Sustainability Zone Theatre took us on a journey from Peru to Africa, out to the ocean, and into the world of cutting-edge biotech, certification, and eco-design — rounded off with a keynote roundtable on green preservation that I moderated, which proved to be one of the most popular sessions of the day.

Prom Peru is a regular presence in this space, showcasing different projects each year and demonstrating how ingredients can be sourced in harmony with Amazonian forest biodiversity. This year, Aroma & Paz presented their work with Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens, or holy wood). As demand for this ingredient has grown, responsible sourcing has become more critical than ever — their approach relies on naturally fallen wood only, in accordance with agroforestry practices and local conservation regulations, with full traceability throughout.

Raices Verde shared a remarkable story of resurrection: rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) is being brought back through a regenerative project involving 150 farmers who have planted 80,000 trees on unproductive land. Full traceability from seed to oil and CITES compliance mean this magnificent oil can now be used with confidence.

AAK, sponsor of the Sustainability Zone Theatre, offered a provocative yet insightful observation about the limitations of certification. Take veganism as an example: consumers understand vegan food to be free from petrochemicals, but that same expectation doesn't hold in cosmetics — vegan beauty products can legally contain petrochemicals, and most consumers simply aren't aware of this disconnect. The message was clear: be selective about the certifications you seek or work with.

AAK has chosen to align with Fair & Wild, a certification with genuine positive impact on both people and planet. It supports 273,000 African women in the Kolo Nafaso region and actively boosts biodiversity. One fascinating detail was the sheer cultural richness of the region — 20 languages are spoken there, each carrying its own traditions, which requires considerable relationship-building and negotiation to foster effective collaboration.

A current challenge is the declining number of shea trees, a slow-growing species threatened by burning practices that prevent seedlings from surviving. Sustaining those community relationships and channelling education through the Fair & Wild framework is key to reversing this trend. Biodiversity's impact on yield tells its own compelling story: a healthy tree can yield 6–8 kg of crop, while one in a low-biodiversity environment may produce only 3 kg — a powerful argument for conservation.

Origin by Ocean is a relatively young company, but it has already made waves — winning awards at Cosmoprof and the Green Dream award at Making Cosmetics. Its mission is to turn the invasive Sargassum seaweed from an environmental problem into a valuable biomass for the beauty industry. Their portfolio currently includes a rheology modifier and two active ingredients based on fucoidan: one targeting skin longevity, and one offering UV-boosting benefits.

Lubrizol traced its biotech journey back to 1987, drawing on research across multiple institutes to build a broad collection of microorganisms. Their focus has been on extremophiles - organisms capable of surviving in extreme conditions, and biomes, microorganisms from distinct geographical regions and ecosystems.

Their latest launch is a regenerative active (a Bacillus ferment) derived from an extremophile, designed to reduce cellular stress in telocytes, a newly discovered skin cell type. A second recently launched active, also a Bacillus ferment, originates from an edible biome and has a unique mechanism of action on electrogenic skin bacteria, creating what they describe as an "electric barrier" that protects against oxidative stress and contributes to a glass-skin effect. Both actives are supported by comprehensive in vivo data.

The second active was produced with sustainability embedded into every stage of fermentation - from near-anaerobic conditions and slower stirring, to using less processed feedstock and a non-GMO strain that avoids incineration. The result is a significantly lower environmental impact and a fully biodegradable ingredient.

The roundtable on green preservation brought together four perspectives: formulation (Dr Barbara Olioso, The Green Chemist and GreenChemFinder), ingredients (Fernando Ibarra, Evident Ingredients), regulatory (Olivia Santoni, Bloom Regulatory), and microbiology (Ben Elmadi, MSL).

The central message was clear: multifunctionals are here to stay, and they can coexist with traditional preservatives rather than replace them outright. An ageing population calling for milder formulations, combined with increasing scrutiny on the number of preservatives consumers are exposed to, makes multifunctionals not just desirable but essential. That said, the primary function of any multifunctional must be substantiated, and "preservative-free" claims - while achievable - require careful wording and formulation strategy.

Ben Elmadi highlighted an important technical consideration: when conducting preservative challenge testing with multifunctional-based systems, specific neutralising blends must be used to deactivate those ingredients. He also stressed the value of collecting factory-specific contaminants and testing against them directly, to ensure the preservative system is fit for purpose in real manufacturing conditions. On the question of Annex V - and whether its ever-shrinking list and high cost of entry make it worth engaging with - the panel's view was that it is unlikely to be removed.

Holiferm is a pioneering biotech surfactant producer with a resilient supply chain. Their LCA demonstrates a 50% lower carbon footprint compared to petrochemical surfactants, alongside a fermentation process that is 50% more energy efficient than conventional approaches. Investment in upscaling has also driven down manufacturing costs. Their sophorolipids are Microbiome Friendly certified and can be used as co-surfactants alongside polyalkylglucosides, as a fragrance solubiliser in place of Polysorbate-20, and as a conditioning ingredient. Sophorolipids also provide biofilm control making them ideal for oral care applications.

Brenntag has launched a new Omega-7 biolipid (C12–18 triglyceride) developed through its partnership with Insempra. With six times lower carbon emissions than macadamia or sea buckthorn oils, and a multifunctional profile spanning hydration, sensory enhancement, and redness reduction, this is a truly compelling addition to the sustainable ingredients toolkit.

Chinova Bioworks presented a chitosan derived from valorised food waste, with new evidence for its benefits in haircare. This plant-derived ingredient is more soluble than its animal-derived counterpart - thanks to a higher degree of deacetylation and greater purity - and is free from allergens. Its cationic nature gives it a strong affinity for hair, delivering frizz reduction, cuticle sealing, heat protection, and moisture retention, all backed by solid data.

AIO is a fermentation specialist producing fats and oils through a circular, land-free, low-CO₂ process that is faster than conventional crop-based production and uses significantly less water. Their current portfolio includes Rhodotorula oil and a linoleic/oleic/palmitic acid blend. Rhodotorula oil is rich in carotenoids and has a fatty acid profile comparable to argan oil; gene expression profiling also reveals pathway activation similar to retinoids, making it a valuable skin active. The linoleic/oleic/palmitic acid offering functions as an oleogel, reducing greasy feel while increasing skin softness.

Croda lifted the lid on its efforts to eliminate PFAS solvents from its peptide manufacturing process. Peptides have attracted increasing scrutiny for their association with PFAS use during synthesis, and Croda completed its removal in 2023, with a commitment to eliminate all PFAS and CMRs by 2027. The technology enabling this shift is solid-phase synthesis (GAP-PS), which uses water as the solvent and significantly reduces product mass intensity.

Their latest peptide development is a biomimetic human keratin sequence produced through precision fermentation — delivering a consistent, exact replication of human keratin, with low land use and no animal involvement, for high-performance hair repair.

Syensqo made the case for eco-design as both a strategic and philosophical commitment - a way of staying within planetary limits at a time of genuine urgency. True eco-design means looking at the full picture: lowering carbon and water footprints, improving product safety, and embracing circular solutions. It begins at the molecular level, using green chemistry principles to design inherently safer, lower-impact molecules, then extends to ingredient origins, chemical processes, use-phase efficiency, and end-of-life biodegradability.

Crucially, eco-design is not a destination but a continuous process of re-evaluation and improvement — a mindset rather than a milestone. This philosophy is applied across Syensqo's portfolio; for example, their guar polymer range now uses green electricity and green heat, while upcycled emollient options reduce land use.

Intact Pulse has developed an exceptionally low-impact alcohol. Specialising in plant proteins from French pulses for the food industry, the company valorises its by-products to produce both ethanol and renewable energy. Pulses are a particularly interesting crop: as nitrogen-fixing plants, they require no synthetic fertiliser, giving them genuine regenerative credentials. Combined with the valorisation of processing waste, this ethanol achieves an 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional ethanol from other crops. Distillation through copper trays ensures a high-quality, low-impact final product.

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