The benefits of UK
grown rosemary are set to be explored with the potential to create a new genre
of renewable bio-based antioxidants. Polymer scientists at the University
have been awarded a £235,000 grant to develop a range of antioxidants from the
active natural ingredients present in rosemary.
The aim of the
research is to replace some synthetic antioxidants with rosemary-derived
antioxidants to add a natural and renewable source to products in areas as diverse
as cosmetics, food and drink packaging and car lubricants. This will also help
address potential issues relating to safety and toxicity in human-contact
applications.
Dr SaharAl-Malaika, Reader in Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, who is a
pioneer on the use of vitamin E as an antioxidant in polymers, believes
that this latest research could prove as significant. She and her team
are studying UK grown rosemary in particular, as evidence suggests the
plant yields higher levels of antioxidants than those grown on the
continent.
‘Rosemary has long been recognised for its health
and medicinal benefits, but only when used at everyday temperatures,’ said Dr
Al-Malaika. ‘To add natural rosemary antioxidants into everyday products,
it has to be mixed and heated with other ingredients to give the desired
manufactured consumer product. The challenge here is to produce
rosemary-based antioxidants that remain active at the high temperatures needed
for commercial manufacturing and other applications, which has never been
achieved before.
‘If we succeed, it could remove our total reliance on synthetic antioxidants
and create a new generation of renewable antioxidants made from a UK grown
source. This would help address issues relating to safety and toxicity in
human-contact applications as well as adding stability to a diverse range of
everyday products including cosmetics, plastic for food packaging, bio-diesel
and lubricants for automotives.’
