Cheese, beer, pharmaceuticals – everyday products which are made with the help of living “mini-factories.” These are tiny organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that human beings have been using in a targeted way for more than 5,000 years to make substances like alcohol and vinegar by traditional, natural methods. This is where biology meets technology. Industrial or white biotechnology is the term used when the products, such as laundry detergent enzymes, are made in closed industrial processes.

How does Henkel use white biotechnology?
Henkel uses the “mini-factories” to produce an important component of laundry detergents and household cleaners: enzymes. These biologically active substances perform essential tasks in the microorganisms and in all living cells. They enable chemical reactions to take place between molecules or they accelerate these reactions. In laundry detergents enzymes are used to remove blood, cocoa or lipstick stains, for example. It is largely due to their special action that modern laundry detergents produce excellent results even at low temperatures and using very little water.

Future technologies in the biosciences – for premium brands and powerful technologies. This film tells you more about microbiological and biotechnological research at Henkel.