Research X Probiotic Group Luxembourg to give a biological alternative to toxic products

12 August 2021

Next-generation of natural cleaning products.

Harsh chemicals are still commonly used for surface disinfection despite their potential impacts on health and the environment. Probiotics are game changers, offering an environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional hard-surface cleaners.

While probiotics have proved their worth in fighting the formation of pathogenic microbes on or in the human body, little has been explored in built environments, including kitchen surfaces or medical rooms.

The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) from the University of Luxembourg partnered with Probiotic Group Luxembourg (PBGL) to create the next generation of natural cleaning products.

A new generation of ECOCERT-certified natural cleaning products

The project seeks to transfer viable biological alternatives of toxic chemicals to the market.

Luxembourg researchers are teaming up to provide industrial partner Probiotic Group Luxembourg with a new recipe book based on bacterial agents that allow the production of a new generation of natural cleaning products that are ECOCERT-certified, or even vegan-compatible. To do this, the team not only identified promising environment candidates, but also tested and confirmed their compatibility with the other components of their partner’s cleaning product.

Making the most genomic microbiology, researchers are looking to identify which bacterial strains have genes that induce the production of effective molecules. Once the right bacterial strains have been selected, they will be tested on various types of hard surfaces.

A bridge between research and the industry

The research team behind this innovative project succeeded in identifying more than fifty bacterial strains potentially capable of degrading organic matter as well as fighting other pathogens in built environments.

The final stage of the project involves producing the selected candidates on a pre-industrial scale to validate their viability and effectiveness for commercial production by GLP.

LIST and the LCSB were decisive factors in the company’s choice to locate in Luxembourg. Both are able to study the impact of such products on the environment.

Biotechs are at the centre of the national economic diversification policy. Case in point: the Luxembourg HealthTech Cluster, managed by Luxinnovation, brings together national players involved in innovative health technologies. The HealthTech Cluster supports the development of sustainable and trusted services and products aimed for the European healthcare market in fields including digital health, medical devices and software.

Probiotic Group signed a three-year contract with LIST and LCSB. 

Read more about LIST GreenTech Innovation Centre.

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