Press Releases and News

Food products containing proteins from plants, fungi or algae are becoming increasingly popular. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes CBP in Leuna, Germany, have now shown that previously rarely used rapeseed proteins are also a valuable source of protein alternatives: using the EthaNa process, they extract not only high-quality rapeseed oil from rapeseed but also a protein-rich rapeseed kernel concentrate, which can be processed for instance into burger patties and pasta or used as a nutritious feed in poultry fattening.

Tumors of the pancreas seldom cause symptoms in their early stages. This means that in many cases, they are not diagnosed until late, when the chances of successful treatment are poor. A new non-invasive diagnostic method designed by Fraunhofer researchers is set to make it possible to detect this aggressive form of cancer early on with high accuracy, significantly improving the prognosis for treatment.

Carbon fibers are essential in aviation, wind energy, and lightweight construction. However, since they are based on petroleum, their production has been very harmful to the environment. A research consortium led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now succeeded in developing a production process for carbon fibers from renewable raw materials.

The SUNER-C project, initiated in 2022, has made significant strides in fostering a robust community dedicated to solar fuels and chemicals across Europe. The Coordination and Support Action funded by the European Union has successfully established a Technological Roadmap, outlining critical milestones for the implementation of solar solutions and aligning them with EU carbon neutrality goals. Through collaborative workshops, the project has engaged over 140 stakeholders to create a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, while also launching an interactive Community Mapping tool for R&D actors. Now, the project concluded with a Final Conference in Brussels on May 15, 2025.

Petra Kluger became a member of the institute management team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB on June 1, 2025. She and Markus Wolperdinger will be leading the institute into the future and tapping into new markets. Kluger, an expert on tissue engineering and biofabrication, is adding her areas of expertise to Fraunhofer IGB’s portfolio in the health and nutrition segment. At the same time, she is also taking over as director of the Institute of Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP at the University of Stuttgart, which is cooperating with Fraunhofer IGB.

A publication on glycolipid biosurfactants from the working group of Dr. Susanne Zibek at Fraunhofer IGB has been awarded the Distinguished Paper Award 2025 by the Journal of Surfactants and Detergents. This award is presented annually by the American Cleaning Institute®. The article, which focuses on cellobiosolipids (CL) and mannosyerythritollipids (MEL), provides a comprehensive overview of the microbial production of these biosurfactants and their potential industrial applications.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB has entered into strategic partnerships with two of the most premier technology universities in India, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani. The MoUs were signed on February 05, 2025 at the German Embassy during the visit of Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Germany to India. She led a high-level delegation from the state of Baden-Württemberg to India to formalize strategic alliances between India and Germany in the field of Circular Economy and Sustainability and among others was accompanied by Dr. Hannes Spieth, Managing Director of Umwelttechnik BW, Germany.

Up to now, wood waste has had to be disposed of at great expense and, at best, has been used to generate energy in incineration plants. Fraunhofer researchers are now using this valuable resource to produce biohydrogen in the Black Forest region of Germany. In the joint project H₂Wood — BlackForest, fermentation processes using hydrogen-producing bacteria and microalgae have been specially developed for the biotechnological production of this green energy carrier. A pilot plant for the production of biohydrogen is to be commissioned as early as 2025. A study published as part of the project also examines the potentials, barriers and measures for regenerative hydrogen production from waste wood and old wood in the Black Forest region.

There is fresh momentum in our protein supply — and it’s moving along on six legs. Insects are a source of protein with a smaller resource footprint than conventional alternatives in every possible way. To ensure the safety of insect farms and their products, Fraunhofer researchers have developed a system that reliably detects pathogens right away, at low cost and with the possibil-ity of automation.

Ammonia plays an important role as a transport and storage medium in the hydrogen economy. Promising solutions for its use as an energy vector are currently being developed in the Fraunhofer flagship project AmmonVektor. But how great is the potential? And where are the limits? The workshop “Ammonia – THE supply chain for the hydrogen economy?”, on October 30 in Oberhausen, will provide an overview of the latest technologies and developments and provide impetus for the energy transition.