BioChroma

Why this project?

The colour of food plays an important role in consumer perception and appreciation. Synthetic dyes, often of petrochemical origin, have led to concerns about their toxicity and impact on the environment. This is resulting in growing demand for naturally sourced pigments. Bacteria are an appealing alternative as a source of pigments thanks to their rapid, scalable and cost-effective growth. Bacterial pigments, produced through fermentation, offer a sustainable alternative unaffected by weather that does not take up agricultural land. Moreover, many of them demonstrate remarkable stability and are non-toxic. Besides their colour properties, bacterial pigments possess various functionalities such as being antioxidant, antimicrobial and offering UV-protection. This makes them interesting for applications in the food and animal feed industry, but also, for example, in cosmetics, packaging, smart textiles, 3D printing and wound healing.

In recent years, Ghent University has been actively researching pigment-producing bacteria found in diverse and sometimes little-studied habitats including Antarctica, soil, plants, animals and even road surfaces. From these sources, a broad palette of diverse bacterial colours was obtained representing a unique resource. Despite their potential benefits, the availability of bacterial dyes on the market is still relatively limited, as few processes and colour portfolios have been developed. The economic and regulatory impact remains the subject of ongoing research, while consumer acceptance of these products is not well known. 

Therefore, the BioChroma project aims to expand the portfolio of microbial pigments for food and animal feed applications to include pigments that can meet market and consumer needs, taking into account the potential environmental benefits and drawbacks.

Methodology and expected results

BioChroma is a collective, basic research project (SBO type) aiming to increase knowledge of the potential offered by bacterial pigments for innovative food and animal feed applications. 

During the project, an in-depth knowledge platform will be developed that includes information on bacterial strains, genetic contexts, pigment structures, physico-chemical and biological properties, process parameters, colour behaviour in food and animal feed formulations, application testing and impact assessment. This matrix enables the evaluation of different bacterial pigments for potential applications in different markets.

Using selected applications from the food and animal feed sector as examples, in close cooperation with the industrial advisory group, the market potential of bacterial pigments will be explored by optimising production and extraction and testing performance in different matrices and end products. Finally, consumer perception and openness towards bacterial dyes in food will also be examined. 

Target group

The target group consists, on the one hand, of companies producing dyes for food and animal feed products and other applications. On the other hand, the project is also relevant for companies that use colour pigments in their production process. Integrating all the insights developed in the project will enable the selection of bio-pigment properties in line with market and consumer needs, contributing to the faster development and adoption of sustainably produced food dyes of microbial origin.

Project partners

Ghent University and Antwerp University are responsible for management and implementation.

Ghent University

Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Microbiology Laboratory: Prof. Anne Willems (coordinator)

Faculty of Bioengineering, Department of Biotechnology, Centre for Synthetic Biology (CSB): Prof. Marjan De Mey

Faculty of Bioengineering, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology:

• Synthesis, Bio-resources and Bio-organic Chemistry (SynBioC): Prof. Sven Mangelinckx
• Sustainable Systems Engineering (STEN): Prof. Dr. Jo Dewulf

Faculty of Bioengineering, Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health:

• Veg-i-Tec, Fermentation technology: Prof. Katleen Raes
• Food Structure and Function (FSF) Research Group: Prof. Koen Dewettinck
• Animal feed technology: Prof. Mia Eeckhout

University of Antwerp

Faculty of Design Sciences, Department of Product development, Reuse Lab: Prof. Els Du Bois

Flanders’ FOOD

As a subcontractor, Flanders’ FOOD is jointly responsible for disseminating the results to the broad target group and identifying the needs and perceptions of different sectors in the food industry.

Keen to join?

The SBO project was launched in October 2024 and runs for four years. Companies interested in this project can still join the Industrial Advisory Council. This allows them to participate in annual meetings, monitor project results up close and discuss them with project partners.

Terms and conditions of participation

The financial contribution is €1,000/year for non-SMEs and €250/year for SMEs for the four-year duration of the project.