microbotanics

new possibilities in plant-derived ingredients and products

Coffee beans from the Coffea arabica plant, valued for their rich flavor and antioxidant content, suitable for plant cell culture technology applications in microbotanics. Image by Clint Mckoy from Unsplash.

Coffea arabica — the coffee shrub, cherished worldwide for its distinctive taste and aroma and a rich source of antioxidants, including polyphenols

What is microbotanics?

Microbotanics, also referred to as Plant Cell Culture (PCC), unlocks the potential of the microscopic units of plants - plant cells - to create advanced plant-derived ingredients and products with unparalleled features. Imagine a cosmetic ingredient with a more potent and diverse antioxidant profile than any natural extract available today, or vanilla with a richer aroma and deeper flavor than any vanilla orchid. Microbotanics overcomes the limitations of conventional supplies, and delivers scalable, precise, and cost-effective solutions that set new benchmarks for plant-derived ingredients and products.

What are examples of microbotanical products?

Microbotanics is driving the development of a diverse range of plant-derived ingredients and products. Some examples are:

cosmetic ingredients
neutraceuticals
flavors & fragrances
crops like wheat, coffee & cocoa
biomaterials like wood & cotton

Cocoa beans from the Theobroma cacao plant, essential for chocolate production and rich in antioxidants, suitable for plant cell culture technology applications in microbotanics. Image by Fernando Graniel from Pixabay.

Theobroma cacao — the cacao tree, essential for chocolate and a rich source of powerful antioxidants known as cocoa flavanols

Wood from the Santalum album tree, known as Indian sandalwood, prized for its santalol-rich essential oil, ideal for plant cell culture technology applications in microbotanics. Image by Mihai Lazar from Unsplash.

Santalum album — a threatened tropical tree known as Indian sandalwood, among the world’s most expensive woods and a source of santalol-rich essential oil

Why are microbotanical products important?

Microbotanical products address critical challenges for both consumers and producers by offering unique benefits:

access to rare ingredients and products previously unavailable from uncultivable or endangered plants
solutions for supply chain constraints and food security, especially for high-value plant-derived products
precision, uniformity, and consistency in quality, yield, and molecular profile, with the advantage of continuous harvesting
tailoring of molecular profiles, properties, and active compounds to meet specific market demands
consumer health and safety, clean-label products, pesticide-free production, and dramatically increased sustainability