IENICA REPORT: SWEDEN

Executive Summary

In Sweden, three crops - potatoes, rapeseed, and wheat - have been the major sources for the production of agricultural raw materials intended for non-food applications, excluding biomass for energy. In recent years interest has also grown for the use of products from linseed, flax and barley. The major non-food products have been developed from either rapeseed oil or starches.

One obvious advantage of using renewable materials is the minimal net effect on global warming. Other advantages include biodegradability of the products and positive effects on agriculture. However, translating these properties into higher market prices remains a challenge.

The report is concentrated on what will happen in the future. Hopefully the results from the various ongoing research programmes will increase the market for agricultural raw materials and the variety of new and improved products. R&D should prepare agriculture and industry for new economical realities in the future. Genetic modification and bioengineering of different crops could certainly have important effects on their composition and yield. In what way this will materialize into new and modified products is, however, a matter of public opinion and law-making concerning genetic modification. Sweden is a country in which the discussion on these issues is rather intensive.

As is the case in other areas, there is a need for new products on the market. This fact is, and should remain, the driving force in the development. Those who are involved in research on, and product development from, crops have a unique advantage. This offers an opportunity for a very close cooperation between the producers of agricultural raw materials and some of their major customers – such as the strong Swedish pulp and paper, packaging and pharmaceutical industries.

The economy and profitability in the production of raw materials for non-food products is often problematic until a certain production volume is reached. One way to overcome this is to use side-streams from the crop in question, when it is grown for food or energy. Combinations where different parts of the crop can be utilized in different ways is also a method. In order to be economically feasible, the crops should generally be harvested with conventional equipment and dried and handled in logistic system similar to that of grain. In establishing a market, there is often a lack of pilot plants or equipment for demonstration. The future of CAP will also certainly have an impact on the economy in growing different crops.

A common problem for most industrial processes based on agricultural crops is the question of secondary products or by-products. Fractionating processes for various crops involving dry and wet methods need to be developed. Creative thinking is required for the secondary or tertiary products. The mass balance of production must be congruent with the balance of sales.

The advantages and general priorities in Sweden for crops grown for non-food uses are as follows:

- a political system that favours environmental protection

- a climate that minimizes the need for insecticides

- skilled farmers and a strong farmers’ cooperation organisation

- excellent research and breeding facilities and capability

- a well experienced industry for production of raw materials and products

- a close cooperation between producers and users, such as pulp and paper industry

- the possibility to combine production of industrial products and biomass/energy.

The drawbacks are mainly

- a climate that gives lower production

- no coordinating institution for R&D in "Products from Renewable Raw Materials"

- a lack of pilot-plant facilities and equipment for demonstration

- difficulty of attaining the large production volumes needed for profitability.

Oil crops

The growing of rapeseed in Sweden has decreased substantially during the past few years, being 63,000 ha in 1997, yielding 130,000 tonnes of seed corresponding to 60,000 tonnes of oil. The reason for this decrease is the conditions within CAP.

For many applications, rapeseed oil and its derivatives have better physical-chemical properties than products based on mineral oil. The major non-food uses are as constituents or raw materials for lubricants (chain saw oil, cutting oils and hydraulic oils), paints and coatings, printing inks and surfactants. All these are areas for market expansions. Linseed is grown on an experimental level. Linseed oil is regaining markets in the paint and wood preservation industry.

NUTEK has founded the competence centre "Centre for Surfactants based on Natural Products. The research in the centre is devoted to synthesis, characterisation and application of surfactants based entirely or partly on natural products.

A research programme on "Bioengineering of Plant Lipids" is running within the "Strategic Network for Plant Biotechnology".

Fibre crops

The interest among farmers for growing flax has increased over recent years, mainly due to a favourable EU-policy. Flax fibres have their traditional uses as clothing and blankets. Modified flax fibres are used in non-woven, tissues, absorption products etc. A special grant is given to a project concerning the "Green car". The programme aims at the development of materials based on renewable resources for automotive interior applications. The possibilities to use fibres from reed canary grass are also being investigated.

Carbohydrate crops

The crops grown in Sweden for their high content of carbohydrates are mainly potatoes, sugar beets and wheat. The products are starches and sugars, but also cellulose and hemi-cellulose are of great interest.

Starches have been used in different technical applications for a long time. The main areas of use are found in the paper and corrugated board industries, but starch also finds application for building, as an adhesive and in technical dispersions. Carbohydrates are utilized as substrates for microorganisms producing dextrans, antibiotics etc. Several research programmes aim at process development for the production of organic acids and natural polyesters.

A Nordic research programme on "Plant Cell Biotechnology" has included a successful project on "Analysis of Starch Synthesis for Improvement of Starch Composition". In 1996 a research programme on "Characterisation and Engineering of Starch Metabolism" was initiated within the "Strategic Network for Plant Biotechnology". Many projects on the modification and use of starch are included in the NUTEK programme on "New Products from Renewable Raw Materials". A competence centre, "Centre for Amphiphilic Polymers from Renewable Resources", was founded in 1996. Two companies have a joint research programme on genetically modified potatoes.

Protein crops

The major possible sources for proteins are rapeseed (25 % protein) or cereals such as wheat and barley. Extensive R&D work has been performed for the use of rapeseed protein for human consumption. The vegetable proteins have very interesting physical properties, for instance regarding strength. Applications for protein products can be in the form of fibres and films or as adhesives.

Research on the application of gluten films for packaging purposes has been modest, but this area should be considered for increased future research.

Speciality crops

Plants are known to produce molecules with great variation in specific chemical structure and biological activity. There is on-going research to isolate, identify and characterize plant-derived compounds that can serve as pharmacological tools or drug prototypes.