Sustainability

Routine monitoring of water quality is paramount in aquaculture operations such as Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) to ensure high productivity and high produce quality. Currently, the monitoring of microbial content in water is mostly based on visualisation of water turbidity and observation of fish behaviour. Some RAS operations use the bacterial culture-based approach for surveillance of microbial quality of water. However, this approach is laborious, requires microbiological testing expertise, and test results are obtainable only after a long incubation period.  Bioluminescent ATP assay is another method that can be used to monitor microbial content. However, it requires lysis of bacteria to release the ATP contained inside the bacteria, and enzymatic reaction of luciferase on ATP to produce the luminescence. While it provides results within a short time, the cost of luciferase, lysis reagents and luminometer could be prohibitive for routine and extensive testing of water samples.   The technology owner has developed a non-enzymatic test reagent which gives a rapid colour change in the presence of Gram-negative bacteria. The technology owner is keen to collaborate with manufacturers of analytical instruments and diagnostic test kits, as well as partners from the aquaculture, biomedical and water quality control industries, to further develop and commercialise this technology.

One-fifth of all local and imported food in Singapore and about 15% of all food globally is spoiled during the supply chain due to inadequate food transport facilities. To overcome this, the startup offers a patented technology in the form of a hardware device that emits a magnetic interference field. It can be used throughout the supply chain starting immediately after harvest and all the way to storage and display. In particular, this technology has great potential to be applied during the food transportation when the chance of spoilage is highest due to reasons such as overripening caused by supply chain delays. The startup is looking to collaborate with food logistics and storage companies, as well as retailers, to integrate their solution.

This technology is a patented synbiotics (combination of probiotics and prebiotics) cleaning solution that offers a safe and sustainable alternative to traditional cleaning products and disinfectants. When released onto the surface, the probiotics will digest and break down dirt, grime, and other unwanted substances while the prebiotics in the solution act as an additional source of nutrition for the probiotics. The resultant surface microbiome provides a continuous cleaning effect that is longer lasting than traditional cleaning chemicals and disinfectants. Often, the overuse of traditional chemicals and disinfectants results in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), allergenic reactions to the user, negative impact on the environment and short effective lifespan. With this synbiotics technology, users can overcome these limitations and achieve a long-term effective cleaning system and a natural microflora to the environment. When utilised in healthcare settings, the synbiotics cleaning solution demonstrated a higher reduction of pathogens (80% more), decreased AMR (up to 99.9%) and health-associated infections (52% lesser). The technology owner is interested in co-development projects and test-bedding opportunities with companies looking for a sustainable and long-lasting cleaning technology i.e., cleaning equipment and automation manufacturers/suppliers and cleaning service providers.

Biodegradable adhesives are a class of adhesives derived from natural materials such as as plant-based polymers or proteins, and they do not contain any synthetic plastics or other harmful chemicals. They are more environmentally friendly, as they do not release harmful pollutants into the environment when they break down. They are also often compostable, which means that they can be disposed of in a way that is beneficial to the environment. This technology is a patented environmentally friendly, biodegradable adhesive that overcomes the limitations of fossil-fuel based adhesives. Made from a natural polymer and other natural materials, this bio-adhesive can exhibit 100% biodegradability within 30 days, does not contaminate the environment and can be separated by water. The adhesive can be applied onto a variety of substrates including paper, leather, foams, and wood to name a few. The technology owner is interested in joint R&D projects with companies who require a biodegradable and sustainable adhesive solution.

This new packaging is a flexible packaging that is an all-encompassing option for several applications including cosmetics, food, consumer, and industrial products. Typically constructed with multi-layer materials to provide the necessary properties for structural integrity and protection of the packaged contents, these packaging products are not recyclable due to the variety of materials used. This technology offers a unique packaging solution that gathers all the advantages of existing packaging options (stand-up pouches, doypacks, bottles and tubes) while overcoming their limitations. Based on the concept of a pastry bag, the technology is a conical flexible pouch which is eco-friendly and 100% recyclable. Made of a mono-material, this eco-designed packaging utilises lesser materials (up to 70%), is ultra-compressible and suitable for all types of products from liquids to solids, making it adaptable to every sector’s needs. With an optimal restitution rate (no loss of contents), it can reduce wastage of the packaged contents and has been certified to reduce 70% of greenhouse gas emissions as compared to a conventional plastic bottle. The technology owner is interested to work with Singapore companies on R&D projects for sustainable packaging and out licensing opportunities to manufacture this patented eco-designed packaging product.

Lignocellulosic biomass side streams derived from the agri-food value chain such as agricultural residues, have the potential to be converted into high-value products, including biofuel, bio-composite construction materials, and sustainable packaging. Among the various conversion processes, pre-treatment plays a crucial role in maximizing the value of lignocellulosic biomass. The primary objective of pre-treatment is to address the complex and heterogeneous structure of the biomass by removing lignin, reducing biomass size, and increasing the surface area for hydrolysis. Unfortunately, current pre-treatment methods for lignocellulosic biomass are energy-intensive, costly, and produce inhibitory compounds that impact subsequent production stages. To overcome these challenges, this technology offers a catalytic oxidation pre-treatment process. This innovative approach operates under ambient or mild conditions, with a short reaction time, resulting in reduced energy consumption and treatment costs. The technology provider is seeking interested parties from the agricultural, biofuels, or biogas industry to license this catalytic oxidation pre-treatment process to enhance their operations and achieve a more sustainable and cost-effective production of valuable products from lignocellulosic biomass.

Plywood is a preferred material used in furniture and home building for its durability since the Egyptian and Roman times. In 2019, the world consumed 165 million cm3 of plywood and was responsible for the creation of more than 3 billion tons of CO2. Applications for plywood are widespread including construction, home, retail, and office interior works and furnishings such as cabinetry, woodworking, renovations, and outfitting. Regulations and protectionism to slow down deforestation plus the tightening of sustainable forestry management lessen the supply of logging for plywood.  As global demand continues to be strong, the search for a viable replacement for plywood has become more pressing. More importantly, it is important to find a non-wood-based replacement with similar performance to plywood. Plywood is desirable because of its superior performance properties. Alternatives like medium-density boards (mdf) and particle boards are made from recycled wood waste. Unfortunately, plywood can only be made from virgin wood and there are no direct replacements for plywood currently. This technology leverages the global abundance of lignocellulosic fibre waste which is the discarded waste material after the harvesting and production of palm oil, rice, and wheat. The technology transforms these lignocellulosic fibre wastes into a direct replacement for conventional plywood.  This provides a sustainable, economically viable, and environmentally friendly solution to the continuing demand for plywood and the resolution to the growing lignocellulosic fiber waste problem in agri-food-based countries all over the world. The technology owner is open to various forms of collaboration including IP licensing, R&D collaboration, and test-bedding with different types of agrifood sidestreams. In the case of palm biomass waste, rice, and wheat straw waste, the technology is ready for commercialization.

Pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are viscous resins that are designed to adhere to various substrates under light pressure. Majority of commercially available PSAs are derived from non-renewable petroleum sources such as acrylics and silicones, providing the required bonding performance for either permanent or removable applications for use in labels and packaging. However, conventional PSAs present environmental concerns at their end of life, even when its substrate is biodegradable. The technology on offer is a patented bio-based, compostable PSAs comprising of 95% soy and other bio-derived materials that costs less than petroleum adhesives. These PSAs can bond to a variety of substrates (including paper and foams), contains no solvent or water, lowers CO2 emissions when compared to conventional PSA. It can be applied using standard application techniques (slot die or gravure systems) and upon curing will result in a light, cream coloured film. The technology owner is seeking for R&D collaborations and IP licensing opportunities with Singapore partners to manufacture/utilise the technology in packaging and non-structural applications.

Asia accounts for approximately 70% of the world’s seafood consumption, around 69.6 million metric tons. This is more than twice the total amount consumed by the rest of the world.* Commercially, about 30% of the seafood is not consumed, from bones to offals, to skin/shell/scales. These food loss and waste potentially impose environmental and socioeconomic issues.  The technology provider has developed a green chemical process converting seafood sidestreams into food products that are not only high value but also nutritious, addressing Singapore’s demand to increase production of nutrient dense foods. In addition, this method is efficient and cost effective as it requires basic equipment. The technology provider is looking for R&D collaborators and for test-bedding especially with industries who are producing aquaculture food with high nutritional value and interested to utilise their sidestreams more sustainably. * FAO 2018