Nature conservation is more than a moral imperative and philosophy focused on protecting species from extinction, maintaining and restoring habitats, enhancing ecosystem services, and protecting biological diversity.
WE ALL NEED PLANTS—and collectively we must do all we can to ensure their survival. People across the globe continue to recognize the importance of both wild and cultivated plants for one very simple truth: Plants underpin the collective health and survival of our planet and all her inhabitants. Consequently, as we celebrate Earth Day, it is incumbent upon us to not just view this as a one day or one month event, but rather a “365” full court press each and every day from now until literally forever.
Continuous efforts to raise awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations is not a ‘nice to do’ but a ‘must do.’ To that end, the following information presents concerns on the current state of plant health, in general, and botanicals, in particular, and what BHSC is doing to be part of the solution. Our collective lives depend upon it, and it can only be done through collective actions and leadership. Sustainability – BioHarvest Sciences
At BioHarvest Sciences (BHSC) this philosophy is embraced as a top priority from both a business imperative and moral obligation. By targeting efforts to protect planet Earth and its many ecosystems, BHSC has focused its efforts on reducing its environmental footprint by advancing plant science and developing technologies that protect plants from annihilation for their sought-after molecules, many of which are in high demand by various industry sectors, including cosmetics, dietary supplements, traditional medicines, and pharmaceuticals.
How Big is the Problem?
In short, it’s major! Biodiversity is being lost—locally, regionally, globally—and human activities are accelerating this loss. The greatest threats to plant species include habitat loss, climate change, pollution and overexploitation. Every hour, 6000 acres of rainforest are burned or cut down to make way for agriculture, livestock, logging and mining.
It is now estimated that approximately one third of global plant species are at risk of extinction. Scientists say that plant extinction is occurring up to 500 times faster than what would be expected naturally. And to add more gloom and doom to an already dismal outlook, it is estimated that over the course of our lifetimes another 130,000 plant species could be wiped out if we do not take action now. Loss of Plant Species – North Shore Land Alliance Loss of Plant Species – North Shore Land Alliance
How can BioHarvest Sciences (BHSC) be Part of the Solution?
BHSC is the first and only fully validated industrial scale plant cell technology platform for the production of plant metabolites. The particular focus has and remains on health enhancing polyphenols and other beneficial plant molecules. BHSC’s actions on conservation and sustainability have always been part of the corporate ethos, but even more so today considering land erosion, deforestation, destruction of ecosystems, climate change, unsustainable agricultural practices and the ever-increasing overexploitation of beneficial plant species that are a source of the many primary and secondary metabolites important to the collective health and wellbeing of humans and other animals.
In view of the many serious environmental adversities impacting the world in general, and plants in their natural habitats in particular, BHSC has developed a technology to grow plant cells without growing the plant, while working to reduce its environmental footprint through reductions in water usage, energy, emissions, packaging, and transport. In addition to the designed purpose of eliciting plant cell compositions that increase the concentration and even bioavailability of specific plant active ingredients, the BioHarvest platform offers a sustainable path to deliver the best of nature without harming the planet. As demand for specific phytonutrients grows, This technology offers two huge benefits:
- To reduce and hopefully end the overexploitation and potential loss of plants that provide beneficial bioactives;
- Does not compete with those plants used for food use/nourishment.
One example of the benefits of their technology is the dietary supplement, VINIA®, which is a proprietary red grape cell product containing the entire matrix of polyphenols contained in red grapes. These polyphenols have been scientifically validated to provide significant health benefits.
To be a bit more specific, the red grape skin cells used to produce VINIA® are cultivated under aseptic conditions, and thus are free from damaging molds, insects or weeds. Benefits of having zero concerns with molds, insects or weeds means there are zero applications of any fungicide, insecticide, or herbicide. This non-GMO, cell cultivation technique, referred to by BHSC as BioFarming Technology or Bio-Plant CELLicitation™, enables the production of a rich complex of polyphenols produced within these cells, e.g., pieced-resveratrol, to be isolated in their natural state without the use of any solvents.
To further elaborate on the benefits of a technology that produces valuable plant metabolites without traditional planting, growing, harvesting, or the chemical processing and extraction of the metabolites of interest, let’s stay with the example of VINIA® and what it takes–in grapes–if we didn’t use Bio-Plant CELLicitation™.
Let’s say we have approximately 20,000 customers taking one VINIA® pill per day, each of which contains the resveratrol equal to 1,000 grapes. If whole grapes were being utilized to create that much resveratrol that would mean the equivalent of 20,000,000 grapes per day that were being removed from the food chain daily, instead of being fermented into wine or going to school in children’s lunchboxes. An additional factoid on why classical agricultural techniques for the production of VINIA® would be wasteful and inefficient is the fact that the form of the resveratrol from ‘conventionally-grown’ grapes is not nearly as bioavailable as that produced using Bio-Plant CELLicitation™. Furthermore, the external inputs, as well as the acreage required for planting, growing and harvesting the grapes would be both excessive and costly.
However, by using Bio-Plant CELLicitation™ the benefits of VINIA® are brought to the public, with none taken from the food supply. And as mentioned, with none of the adverse impacts to the environment as might result from traditional agriculture. The same can be done to meet the demand for other bioactive botanicals, e.g., pomegranate and olive, with more in the pipeline.
Is the Need for Bio-Plant CELLicitation™ Real or Invented?
Since BHSC’s core business is beneficial plant metabolites focused on health and wellness, a few salient points on the global interest and demand for botanicals are warranted.
The botanicals market is a rapidly developing industry that encompasses an extensive selection of plant-derived products used in various applications such as medicine, cosmetics, food and beverage, and dietary supplements. Botanicals (valued for their medicinal or therapeutic properties, flavor and/or scent) are derived from various parts of plants including leaves, stems, flowers, roots, and fruits. Botanicals Market Share & Trends – 2032 (linkedin.com) The global botanicals market is expected to experience rapid growth over the coming years due to rising consumer preference for non-GMO and organic items. Factors driving growth include an increasing demand for plant-based items, increasing consumer awareness about their health benefits, and increased usage of botanicals within a multitude of business verticals.
Geographically, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and other regions. Asia Pacific is expected to experience the fastest growth rate due to its large population and widespread use of botanicals in traditional medicine.
According to Market.us the global botanicals market was valued at around USD 107.2 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach approximately USD 207.3 billion in 2032, growing at a CAGR of 7% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2032.
In short, the use of botanicals has increased dramatically over the past three decades and will continue to increase exponentially as demand outpaces supply due to the many limitations across the globe, including but not limited to overexploitation of natural resources, environmental challenges and climate change. The belief that nature alone can meet the demand for botanicals is, for all intents and purposes, a fool’s dream. Multidisciplinary approaches are needed including the use of modern technologies to help change the current reality. Ensuring the protection of natural habitats, and advancing regenerative and restorative agricultural practices and systems to nurture and restore soil health, protect the climate, water resources and biodiversity are imperatives, full stop, but are they enough?
A similar question was raised in the article Evaluating natural medicinal resources and their exposure to global change – The Lancet Planetary Health but we’d like to address a more direct question, that goes to the heart of the problem we face when it comes to science and specifically the acceptance of non-traditional technologies…
Is it realistic to think there are developing technologies that can produce these beneficial plant metabolites without destroying natural habitats, and meet the demands of consumers with a focus on cleanliness, safety and efficacy?
The short answer is YES and one of the best, if not THE best technology currently available is Bio-Plant CELLicitation™ .
Follow Home – BioHarvest Sciences to learn more!
