Petrochemical laboratories could make more use of yeast

Research conducted by cleaning products brand Ecover over the past seven years has revealed a new role for yeast to play in petrochemical laboratories.

The brand claims that yeast found in bees' nests can take the place of surfactants in cleaning products.

Surfactants are typically produced in petrochemical laboratories using large amounts of energy and creating toxic byproducts in the process.

However, using the yeast as an alternative, Ecover claims on its US blog that much less energy is required and there are fewer potentially harmful side-effects.

It has now discovered a way to scale the production of the yeast up to the quantities required for commercialisation, after 50,000 hours of research.

The yeast works by combining sugar with oil to create an entirely natural emulsifier of soluble and non-soluble component parts.

Ecover's commitment to sustainability also extends to its packaging, which is fully recyclable.

The polypropylene and polyethylene used in its plastics can be fully recycled without requiring large amounts of energy.