Colours are an essential component of human lives since they can influence the final appearance of many products. A large variety of choices can be affected by the colours which are presented to us, for example in the food industry, product design, textiles etc. In the Fungal Colourants project, recently started possibilities of biobased colors from fungi were investigated. A more sustainable alternative to synthetic dyes.
Biobased colors can come from various sources, such as plants, bacteria, algae and fungi.
Characterization of color pigments
The current project is a feasibility study into the production of color pigments with fungi. In order to achieve the most optimal production process, the biological conditions and different extraction techniques are studied. The original characterization of the color pigments produced is carried out for both chemical composition and properties such as UV and thermal stability.
Synthetic colors
Synthetic colors dominate today’s landscape, due to their easy production, low production costs and resistance (UV, temperature) in use. However, many of these substances are also considered dangerous for the well-being of humans and the environment. In the pursuit of a more sustainable society and limiting the ecological footprint, natural colors are gaining more and more attention.
The SME companies BioscienZ and Phytonext and the Avans Center of Expertise Biobased Economy (CoE BBE) pool their expertise and work together to make a step-by-step change in the production of biobased dyes.