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

这一小型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可持续地从非粮食生物质生产高价值化学品(HVC)的工艺。由此产生的HVC，异丁香酚和阿魏酸盐，是香料和香料工业生产天然香兰素的起始原料。今天，每年使用的18,000公吨香兰素中，只有一小部分是从自然来源生产的。香兰素的绝大部分是由石油原料苛刻的化学衍生化产生的。使用Spero Energy，Inc.开发的创新技术，非食用型生物质可以用于生产天然香兰素的原料。可持续地从非食用生物质中生产天然异丁香酚和阿魏酸酯将有助于推动美国生物经济的发展，同时为每年6亿美元的收入和不断增长的香兰素产业提供必要的原料。这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目的技术目标是展示斯佩罗？S技术用于从非食用生物质中生产天然异丁香酚和阿魏酸盐的可扩展性。消费者对含有天然香料和香水的产品日益增长的需求，以及与人工替代品相关的溢价，为推动美国生物经济提供了一个有前景的场所。Spero Energy，Inc.开发了自然和可持续的方法来生产异丁香酚和阿魏酸盐，这是合成天然香兰素的关键原料。香兰素是使用最广泛的香料之一，每年的市场价值超过6亿美元。主要研究目标包括扩大阿魏酸盐和异丁香酚的生产量，随后详细研究纯化方法，生化转化为天然香兰素，以及验证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提纯数据，这些数据将用Aspen建模进行分析，为第二阶段的中试生产做准备。

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.