BASF employees fill a fermenter in the technical center.

White biotechnology – also known as industrial biotechnology – uses microorganisms and enzymes to produce chemical and biochemical products.
The product portfolio of white biotechnology is manifold and comprises basic chemicals, monomers, and many specialty chemicals like vitamins, food and feed supplements, as well as pharmaceutical and agricultural intermediates. Biotechnological processes are often more efficient than classical chemical production and require less raw materials and energy. Usually, they are based on renewable raw material and exhibit a beneficial carbon footprint.
Some products like enzymes or complicated actives are only accessible via white biotechnology and cannot be manufactured by chemical synthesis.

Process development for new substances developed in the laboratory takes place in the Technikum in Ludwigshafen. The product volume is increased step by step.

Fermenters with volumes ranging from 20 to 5000 liters are used.