Engineering Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Reflecting Crystals in Yeast to Replace Hazardous TiO2 Based Pigments

Introduction

The superior optical properties and stability of Titanium dioxide (TiO2) have made the material attractive to many industries, for use in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Despite these benefits, the wide use of TiO2 has raised significant health concerns, culminating in the 2022 European Union's decision to ban its use as a food additive.

Regulatory Shift

This regulatory shift has precipitated an urgent demand for healthier, environmentally sustainable alternatives that do not compromise on performance. Unfortunately, current alternatives fail to match TiO2 in terms of efficacy and stability, thereby limiting their adoption.

Proposed Solution

This PoC proposes an innovative solution by which yeast serve as eco-friendly "biofactories" to produce guanine crystals. These crystals, which are naturally utilized by animals to reflect light, possess remarkable optical properties, with enhanced thermostability, and superior compatibility compared to current TiO2 alternatives.

Methodology

We will modify yeast to express the specialized highly efficient guanine-producing enzymes, originally identified in zebrafish as part of our ERC project. Inspired by nature, our project will exploit yeast's remarkable biosynthetic abilities to obtain efficient production of these crystals.

Preliminary Results

Our preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of this approach and are backed by robust metabolomic profiling that enables:

1. Precise measurement of guanine levels
2. Identification of metabolic bottlenecks
3. Detection of by-products

Commercial Rollout Strategy

In preparation for commercial rollout, our strategy involves:

1. Mapping our innovation within the EU food industry
2. Identifying precise market segments
3. Crafting an initial business model

This multifaceted approach is designed to both showcase the economic viability and market potential of our yeast-produced guanine crystals and also to position them as a safe, sustainable, and high-performing TiO2 alternative, in line with the EU's health-centric regulatory framework and consumer expectations.