Naturex, a France-based producer of plant-based natural ingredients, has teamed up with University of Avignon to create a new joint research laboratory, known as Optimization and Research on Extraction Technologies and Alternative Solvents (ORTESA), to explore eco-friendly extraction processes.
The center for research and industrial innovation aims to develop better science for botanical and eco-friendly extraction which involves sustainability in all the steps that are critical for extraction: choice of the solvent or technologies, utilization of by-products, reduction of unitary operations, and limitation of chemical alteration of botanical extracts.
The laboratory, which is part of Naturex's global R&D plan for innovation and applied research that combines industrial expertise, cost in use, and sustainable practices, will be co-headed by Naturex R&D director Antoine Bily and University of Avignon professor Farid Chemat, who is also in charge of the GREEN research laboratory at the campus.
It will be fully operational by October 2013.
The GREEN research team is an academic laboratory involved in developing innovative technologies for botanical extraction.
The National Research Agency (ANR - Agence Nationale pour la Recherche) has provided a grant for the creation of the joint laboratory under the LabCom program. ORTESA will be awarded €300,000 to fund laboratory operations over the next three years.
