One More Boost For Succinic Acid

The French starch producer Roquette Frères has licensed technology from Rice University related to biobased production of succinic acid, which is being developed as an intermediate for plastic, textile, drug, solvent, and food applications. Rice says its patented microbial technology can produce succinic acid from renewable resources. Roquette earlier signed a similar agreement with the University of Georgia. The French company intends to develop a demonstration plant with several hundred metric tons per year of capacity by the end of this year. If that project goes well, it expects to begin large-scale production by 2011.