Insempra, an IZB-based biology-powered company enabling businesses to make superior products in partnership with nature, announced the launching of its first functional ingredient, a biotechnologically produced, 100% natural alpha-Ionone flavour and fragrance ingredient for food and beauty market applications.

Insempra has partnered with leading natural aroma ingredients manufacturer and distributor Axxence Aromatic GmbH to market the product to food and beauty manufacturers globally. Under the terms of the agreement, Axxence has been distributing the product to customers since the beginning of 2023.

Alpha-Ionone is an aroma compound found in a variety of essential oils, mainly derived from natural sources such as raspberries, almonds, and blackberries. In contrast to chemically manufactured, racemic alpha-Ionone aromas, Insempra’s natural product has a more defined and purer aroma achieved by selectively producing only the desired enantiomer, (R)-alpha-Ionone, resulting in a uniquely superior, deep and fresh violet and raspberry aroma which can be applied as a high-quality flavour and fragrance to a variety of consumer products.

Insempra’s fermentation-based alpha-Ionone, initially developed by Phytowelt Green Technologies GmbH, is an EU-natural certified, vegan, food-grade ingredient. Insempra’s biotechnology platform capabilities combined with Axxence’s market access ensures consistently high product quality for flavour and fragrance manufacturers.

“With the launch of this superior alpha-Ionone aroma, Insempra is demonstrating its unique approach to technology onboarding, scaling and rapid go-to-market capabilities in the delivery of the next generation of sustainable, bio-technologically produced functional ingredients.” says CEO and founder Jens Klein. “By identifying a market-driven need for a more sustainable ingredient solution and finding the right partners, we are able to deliver a 100% natural, fermentation-based functional ingredient for food and beauty applications that is truly superior to natural or synthetic alternatives.”

“We are delighted with our cooperation with Insempra.” adds Ron Honing, CEO of Axxence “We have successfully introduced (R)-alpha-Ionone to the market. Now with the support of Insempra we will enter a new avenue that will improve the speed to market and a balanced cost in use. Together we will explore the pathway of Natural aroma ingredients and will bring more sustainable ingredient solutions that clearly deserve the EU Natural label.”

With consumer demand rising for products with 100% natural ingredients that are healthy for humans as well as the planet, Insempra’s mission is to collaborate with nature to develop sustainable and scalable ingredient solutions for broad market applications.

The production of raspberry aroma by farming would require more than a hundred tonnes of raspberries, which translates to approximately 40 football fields of cultivated acreage – a highly unsustainable use of land that is equally disproportionate in its output.

The alternatives to naturally derived alpha-Ionone are chemically manufactured aroma replicas which are currently broadly used in consumer goods.

The trend towards natural ingredients is driving the biotechnological production of aromas which in this example could be done with just one production run on a small-scale fermenter compared to the exorbitant land use if extracted from nature.

Insempra combines bioscience and technology to make superior products with nature

Insempra is a biology-powered company enabling businesses to make superior products with nature. We combine bioscience and technology to grow matter for new and better products.

For too long, businesses have relied on chemical industrialization processes and petrochemicals, depleting our planet’s limited resources. That’s why we are committed to drive the regenerative revolution to manufacture at scale in collaboration with nature.

Led by a hand-picked team of biologists, technologists and entrepreneurs with rebel hearts, Insempra is here to create a new school of thought and collective action. The time to restore the balance between people and the planet is now. We don’t wait for change. We do what needs to be done to grow a better future.

Learn more about Insempra at insempra.bio.