SBIR Phase I: Manufacturing of Natural Isoeugenol and Ferulate from non-food biomass as a precursor to biobased vanillin.

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发一种从非粮食生物质中可持续生产高价值化学品的过程。由此产生的hvc，异丁香酚和阿魏酸，是香料和香料工业中用于生产天然香兰素的起始材料。今天，每年使用的18,000公吨香兰素中只有一小部分来自天然来源。绝大多数香兰素是由石油原料的严酷化学衍生化生产的。利用Spero能源公司开发的创新技术，非食品生物质可以用来生产天然香草素的原料。从非食品生物质中可持续生产天然异丁香酚和阿魏酸盐将有助于推进美国生物经济，同时为每年6亿美元和不断增长的香兰素行业提供必要的起始材料。这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目的技术目标是展示Spero？从非食品生物质中生产天然异丁香酚和阿魏酸的美国技术。消费者对含有天然香料和香料的产品需求的增加，以及相对于人工替代品的相关溢价，为推动美国生物经济提供了一个有希望的场所。Spero能源公司开发了天然和可持续的方法来生产异丁香酚和阿魏酸，这是合成天然香兰素的关键原料。香草醛是最广泛使用的香料之一，每年的市场价值超过6亿美元。主要研究目标包括阿魏酸盐和异丁香酚的规模化生产，随后详细研究纯化方法，生化转化为天然香兰素，并验证所得到的香兰素的感官特性。这项工作预计将产生关键的反应和净化数据，这些数据将用ASPEN模型进行分析，为第二阶段的中试规模生产做准备。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project is the development of a process for the sustainable production of high value chemicals (HVCs) from non-food biomass. The resulting HVCs, isoeugenol and ferulate, are the starting materials used in the flavor and fragrance industry for the manufacture of natural vanillin. Today, only a small percentage of the 18,000 metric tons of vanillin used annually is produced from natural sources. The clear majority of vanillin is produced by harsh chemical derivatization of petroleum feedstock. Using the innovative technology developed by Spero Energy, Inc., non-food biomass can be used to produce the starting materials for natural vanillin production. Sustainable manufacturing of natural isoeugenol and ferulate from non-food biomass will serve to advance the US bioeconomy while supplying essential starting materials to the $600 million a year and growing vanillin industry.The technical objectives of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project are to demonstrate the scalability of Spero?s technology for production of natural isoeugenol and ferulate from non-food biomass. Increasing consumer demand for products containing natural flavors and fragrances, and the associated premium prices relative to artificial alternatives, offers a promising venue to advance the US bioeconomy. Spero Energy, Inc. has developed natural and sustainable methods to produce isoeugenol and ferulate, key starting materials for the synthesis of natural vanillin. Vanillin is one of the most widely utilized flavors with a market value of over $600 million per year. Key research objectives include scaling production volumes of ferulate and isoeugenol, followed by a detailed study of purification methods, biochemical conversion to natural vanillin, and validation of the organoleptic properties of the resulting vanillin. This work is anticipated to yield key reaction and purification data which will be analyzed with ASPEN modeling in preparation for pilot scale production in Phase II.