Chr. Hansen Joins Genomics Research Consortium

The Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation is a consortium employing microbial genomics to improve microorganisms for use in industrial fermentation processes.

3/30/2011 --- The Danish company Chr. Hansen A/S, a leading global supplier of ingredients to the food, dietary and feed industries announced that it has joined the Industrial Platform of the Netherland’s Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation.

The Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation is a consortium of Delft University of Technology, the Universities of Leiden, Utrecht and Groningen, Wageningen University, VU University of Amsterdam, TI Food and Nutrition and NIZO food research. It employs microbial genomics to improve microorganisms for use in industrial fermentation processes. Fermentation is used in the production, from renewable feedstocks, of food products and ingredients, beverages, pharmaceutical compounds, nutraceuticals, and fine and bulk chemicals. The research covers five research programmes: Yeast for chemicals, fuels and beverages; Filamentous fungi for proteins and peptides; Lactic acid bacteria for fermented foods and food ingredients; systems biology of industrial microorganisms, and Industrial genomics for society.

The ingredients produced by Chr. Hansen include starter cultures and enzymes for the dairy industry which are produced by industrial fermentations. The use of genomics information – the study of all gene sequences in living organisms - helps to further improve the enzyme and culture production and to gain new fundamental knowledge about the production strains. By entering the Industrial Platform of the Kluyver Centre the Danish company obtains early access to research results within the Kluyver Centre.

“Our involvement will allow us to gain important insight into the developments in genomics, which is a strategic focus area for us,” says Eric Johansen, Associate Vice President , Innovation, Chr. Hansen. “We are quite aware of the strengths and focus of the Kluyver Centre and believe these can be used to generate an important knowledge and technology base for our future research activities. The novel valorisation programme together with direct contacts with other members of the Kluyver Centre will strongly support a rapid conversion of research output into competitive added-value for our business.”

“With the entrance of Chr. Hansen to our Industrial Platform, the Kluyver Centre further expands its international network of companies active in the fermentation industry” says Wim van der Wilden, Business Director of the Kluyver Centre. Earlier Tate & Lyle (USA), Nestlé (Switzerland), Danone Research (France) and the bioinformatics company Genedata (Switzerland) already became a member.

At this moment the Industrial Platform consists of 24 members and this number is expected to grow in
2011 according to Van der Wilden. Chr. Hansen maintains a close relationship with academia on a global scale. The company engages in more than 200 scientific partnerships with universities, research institutions, PhD students etc. every year and is represented in over 20 scientific associations, advisory boards etc.