IFF biomaterials platform used commercially in fossil-free laundry detergent

International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has brought its Designed Enzymatic Biomaterials (DEB) platform into commercial use for the first time. The DEB technology replaces fossil-based ingredients with plant-based alternatives and is making its commercial debut in a laundry detergent. The move marks the platform’s entry into home care.

The detergent formulation, developed with an undisclosed consumer packaged goods company, enhances softness and cleaning performance while replacing non-biodegradable ingredients with biodegradable alternatives.

The platform is positioned as a response to growing consumer demand for sustainable products that do not compromise on performance.

“DEB is a transformative platform that enables us to replace fossil-based synthetic materials with biobased, biodegradable materials in home and personal care applications. It has the potential to transform innovation and sustainability in laundry products and many other categories in the near future,” Leticia Gonçalves, president of Health &Biosciences at IFF, tells Personal Care Insights. 

The DEB platform uses enzymes to transform simple plant sugars into polysaccharides, sugar-based molecules that occur naturally in plants.

“Unlike fossil-based synthetic polymers, the DEB process allows us to access unique, structurally-diverse polysaccharides, like those found in nature, at scale and under mild process conditions. This provides an unprecedented design space for enhanced performance,” Gonçalves explains.

“Using only plant-based sugars, water, and our favorite biocatalyst, the enzyme, we can now design functional, biobased, biodegradable materials without compromising performance.”

Market and environment impact

The launch comes amid heightened consumer demand for sustainable innovations, causing companies to move away from fossil-based synthetic ingredients.

DEB responds to growing consumer demand for sustainable products that do not compromise on performance.“In markets like home and personal care, cleaning and efficacy have taken on greater importance than ever before. While demand for more sustainable products continues to rise, consumers worry that “eco-friendly” often translates into products that aren’t as effective as traditional ones,” Gonçalves says.

DEB offers flexibility and consistency in polymer design and synthesis, enabling the creation of novel structures that improve cleaning performance while providing sustainability benefits.

“Ultimately, this means that consumers can expect biodegradable and sustainable products in the future that perform better than fossil-based products and are cost-competitive,” she adds.

Scaling through Alpha Bio

IFF notes that DEB materials can be tailored to deliver specific benefits such as surface modification, conditioning, and anti-redeposition. These features are particularly relevant in cleaning products, but the platform’s adaptability opens possibilities across applications, including health and nutrition, packaging, and personal care.

The company is also scaling the production of its DEB materials through its joint venture with Finnish chemical company Kemira, to support wider technology adoption.

The venture, called Alpha Bio, is developing a dedicated manufacturing asset for DEB-based biomaterials. Facilities in Finland have already carried out validation trials for process efficiency and product performance.

Commercial manufacturing is expected to begin in 2027, enabling larger volumes of DEB materials to enter multiple markets. According to IFF, this scaling effort will allow the platform to move beyond laundry care and reach other industries where performance and sustainability are priorities.

Sustainability profile

The company used a peer-reviewed life cycle assessment to test the platform’s environmental claims. The study showed that DEB production is carbon-negative, absorbing more carbon dioxide during manufacturing than is released.

DEB materials can be tailored to deliver specific benefits such as conditioning.The platform uses renewable plant sugars, including sugar beet grown in Europe.

According to IFF, the by-products of this process, such as beet pulp and molasses, can replace other animal feed crops like corn and soybeans, which require more land to grow. This substitution helps reduce overall land use.

Expanding natural innovation

In other company news, IFF has inaugurated its expanded LMR Naturals site in Grasse, France, following a €10 million (US$11.7 million) investment that increases the facility’s size by 75% to 4,687 m².

The upgraded site includes a new pilot hall to accelerate the development of natural ingredients and an experimental field to provide direct access to plant materials.

LMR Naturals, founded in 1983 and acquired by IFF in 2000, supplies perfumers and formulators with high-quality natural ingredients across fragrance, cosmetics, home and fabric care, and taste applications.

With the expansion, IFF says it plans to launch four to six new products each year, with sustainability certifications and a waste valorization rate of at least 98%.

The Grasse site currently processes 85,000 metric tons of biomass annually and produces around 2,000 metric tons of extracts. Its portfolio spans over 850 ingredients derived from 130 botanical families.