DSM’s biotech breakthrough enables bio-based vitamin A production

Royal DSM has begun customer sampling of the world’s first fully bio-based vitamin A. This follows pioneering research by the company’s scientists and a proprietary manufacturing process perfected for initial use in environmentally conscious cosmetics.

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for good health, including benefiting the immune and digestive systems. It is also one of the most potent anti-ageing compounds used widely in skin care treatments to reduce fine lines, wrinkles and blemishes and to increase collagen production.

Manufacturing vitamin A at scale was first made possible following a scientific discovery in 1947 at Hoffmann-La Roche (from which DSM acquired the vitamins business in 2003). Today, DSM is the world’s leading producer of vitamin A, creating the vital ingredient at a state-of-the-art facility in Sisseln, Switzerland. It is then applied in human and animal health products, in food and in feed, as well as destined for product development in the personal care and cosmetics markets worldwide.

Transforming how vitamins are made

Pioneering research by DSM has led to a new scientific breakthrough whereby it is now possible to produce vitamin A using a specially developed strain of yeast, which converts a renewable carbon source into the vitamin. The nature-inspired process has since been refined and proven to be scalable thanks to a global collaboration across six DSM facilities (Lexington and Columbia, US; Delft, Netherlands; Grenzach, Germany; Kaiseraugst and Sisseln, Switzerland).

The fully bio-based proprietary production method has the potential to transform the industry, providing a major leap for the environmental ambitions of DSM and its customers across the personal care and cosmetics, food, human health and animal health markets.

Ronald Gebhard, DSM’s VP biosciences & process innovation, commented: “We realised we had something revolutionary at hand when we first isolated vitamin A out of a bio-broth with a profile consistent to our existing process. Our new fully bio-based process relies on commonly available renewable raw materials and results in a lower carbon footprint and less waste while still delivering the industry-beating quality expected of DSM. Drawing on the power of nature and our own scientific heritage, we are radically transforming how vitamins are made. Our pioneering work is a testament to our scientific capabilities and the passion of our scientists around the world who are striving to create better health for people and the planet.”

A first for cosmetic ingredients

DSM is initially producing bio-based vitamin A for the personal care market where there is an established and increasing consumer demand for high-performance, renewable cosmetic ingredients. Application testing is now underway with the first selected customers and representative material is available for sampling ahead of a commercial-scale production and a full launch in early 2023.

Parand Salmassinia, DSM’s VP personal care & aroma, said: “Vitamin A is one of the most in-demand and trusted cosmetic ingredients on the market. We will now be able to offer an alternative with significant environmental advantages. Our innovation will help DSM’s customers lead their product categories in sustainability, offering a considerable contribution to their climate change actions and net zero goals. We are seeing an overwhelmingly positive response and look forward to commercialising this innovation in the personal care industry starting next year.”

New applications on the cards

The new bio-based Vitamin A will be offered alongside DSM’s existing nature-identical synthetic products, increasing customer choice in the market. Vitamin A has various nutritional uses and benefits in supporting human and animal health and DSM is developing further applications for these markets with testing soon to get underway.

Joerg von-Allmen, DSM’s vice president, vitamins category management, explained: “Until now, the only way to meet the growing demand for Vitamin A has been to build new multi-step chemical production facilities requiring more finite resources. DSM’s new bio-based process will significantly reduce the carbon footprint and waste of vitamin A manufacturing while still producing the top-quality customers expect. Going forward, we will increase our manufacturing capacity only through our bio-based process using renewable resources. As a vocal climate action advocate and leader in this field, we expect this breakthrough to trigger all vitamin A manufacturers worldwide to reconsider how they will invest to accelerate the transition to a healthier future for people and the planet away from the traditional chemical processes that are based on finite resources.”