Breakout 2: CuanTec Case Study

Ryan Taylor

The Team

Dr Cait Murray-Green (CEO)

The Team

Dr Cait Murray-Green (CEO)

Marguerite Guibourg (Senior Process Technician)

The Team

Dr Cait Murray-Green (CEO)

Marguerite Guibourg (Senior Process Technician)

Dr Ryan Taylor(COO)

Waste not, want not

Waste not, want not

The Problem

The Problem

2 major issues – Food waste and plastic packaging waste.

Lead to economic losses, social issues and environmental harm.

We simply don’t think this is acceptable and we don’t need to simply look the other way.

Waste not, want not

The Problem

Our Solution

Our Solution

Using fermentation to produce chitosan.

Low energy, no pollution, utilises food processing waste (waste shells from langoustine processing) as our raw material – with waste, prevention is better than cure

The New Era : Biological extraction

autoclave

Shell harvest

Chitosan

Bacterial inoculation

2nd

Bacterial inoculation

Filtration

Chitosan isolation

CO2

(captured)Wash Grind

Waste not, want not

The Problem

Our Solution

Our Products

Our Products

From the waste stream from the langoustine fishery a plethora of useful materials can be produced. Chitosan containing biodegradable food packaging, Carotenoid pigments, calcium salts, protein hydrolysate. All high value materials, from a “worthless” raw material. One man’s waste truly can be another’s treasure

Making a difference

– making a difference

Reducing landfill

Reducing landfillShells do not decompose easily, and the decomposition products that are formed are toxic and environmentally damaging – cadaverine, putrescine, ammonia and carbon dioxide. Moreover, money is literally being wasted by not using this material to its full potential

Reducing Landfill

Improving food safety

– making a difference

Improving food safety

Serious illness can arise if food is spoiled or improperly packaged.

Currently chemical additives are used as preservatives, but these can bring their own problems.

Chitosan is biocompatible, non-allergenic and more importantly, highly active, with no possibility of microbial resistance

Reducing Landfill

Improving food safety

Creating no waste

– making a difference

Creating no waste

Unlike the highly polluting chemical method to produce chitosan, Cuantec’sprocess does not require harsh chemicals, our biggest problematic side product is CO2 but even this can be put to good use –it can be converted to calcium carbonate which can be sold, but crucially, the CO2 is not vented into the atmosphere

What will our product do to help the environment

acknowledgements

Strategic Scientific Consulting Ltd

Fencebay

Gabriel syndicate

University of Strathclyde

Scottish Investment bank

Scottish Enterprise

Strathclyde University Incubator