Projects
A facile microwave process for valorising starch waste into value added polyglycitol syrup
A*STAR, MTC Young Individual Research Grant (YIRG)​, 2025-2028, PI​​
Technology/Solutions Overview:
This project aims to develop an efficient microwave-assisted catalytic process for the facile upcycling of food side streams, e.g., bread and potato waste, into value-added polyglycitol syrup. The key objective is to bridge the knowledge gap in synergising the hydrolysis process and catalytic transfer hydrogenation for high-efficiency production.
Benefits and Impact:
Polyglycitol is a value-added product with a promising compound annual growth rate. Its promising market potential is associated with the increasing demand for polyglycitol as a bulking agent, stabiliser, humectant, sweetener, and texturiser in food & beverage (F&B) and cosmetics applications. In the local context, polyglycitol is a prospective value-added F&B product, creating a circular economy and stimulating local supply chain.
Sustainable biomass-derived absorbents: unravelling the impacts of feedstock characteristics on hydrogel fabrication and application
Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) Academic Research Fund (AcRF) Tier 2, 2025-2028, PI​​
Technology/Solutions Overview:
Commercialising quality bio-based materials from biomass waste remains challenging despite the sustainability merit and promising market value. Concern is often expressed over the stable supply of compliant feedstocks in view of the broad biomass varieties, of which the compositions vary with plant species, sourcing locations, and upstream processing. This project aims to unleash the potential of biomass by addressing how the compositional variation impacts the end-product quality and formulating solutions to quality control.
Benefits and Impact:
The project will foster a circular bioeconomy, which captures carbon in forms of food, waste, and materials in a closed loop, in alignment with the national and international net-zero agenda. Such an approach offers an innovative avenue to upcycle biomass into a new class of products beyond biogas and compost, building a resilient network of bioresource utilisation.