Generating food from agricultural waste

Up to two-thirds of plant material grown on farms does not enter the food system. Building on BBSRC-supported research into the breakdown of plant material by enzymes, Dr Tom Simmons and Professor Paul Dupree created The Supplant Company to utilise plant material discarded during agricultural production.

From corn cobs and similar by-products, the company created Supplant™ Sugars from Fiber. This cane sugar replacement is prebiotic, lower in calories, and has less impact on blood sugar levels (compared to glucose), yet functions well in many products, such as cakes.

The team have also developed a flour alternative, Supplant™ Grain and Stalk Flour, which uses wheat grain and stalk to produce a high-fibre product with fewer calories compared to standard flour. Supplant’s products are on sale in both the UK and the US. Pasta made with Supplant™ Grain and Stalk Flour is also being served at some university dining halls in the UK.

The approach not only creates healthier ingredients that may help tackle health issues, such as obesity and diabetes, but also draws on existing farming efforts and utilises up to 97% less land, resulting in reduced emissions.

The company has received venture capital and Innovate UK funding to further improve its products and expedite commercialisation. Early BBSRC funding through the Sustainable Bioenergy Centre: Cell wall sugars programme supported the background technology for the company’s first business plan. After Supplant was founded, BBSRC supported the company through the NIBB LBNet: Lignocellulosic Biorefinery Network.