P&G: Bio-AI for Enhanced Cold Water Cleaning
Procter & Gamble (P&G) produces a wide range of care and hygiene products from beauty and grooming to fabric and home care.
Ariel, Tide and Downy are just a few of the company’s recognisable brands serving more than five billion consumers.
P&G aims to reach net zero emissions across its supply chain and operations by 2040.
As part of this mission, P&G has announced a partnership with bio-AI start-up Basecamp Research to improve cold wash laundry performance.
“We are pleased to be partnering with Basecamp Research on this initiative, working together to develop new solutions by combining their unique view of nature and AI capability with our extensive innovation mastery to deliver a superior consumer experience,” says Dr Philip Souter OBE, Senior Director of Laundry Research and Development at P&G.
Meet Basecamp Research
Based in London, UK, Basecamp Research is a biological data company that aims to revolutionise protein discovery and design.
The company’s BaseGraph is a foundational AI dataset powered by the first-ever high-resolution map of global genetic biodiversity.
This AI can be used to design novel enzymes and other proteins.
Basecamp Research is a member of the NVIDIA Inception program for cutting-edge start-ups, designed to help companies evolve faster through technology and connections.
P&G’s sustainability initiatives
Alongside P&G’s 2040 net zero goal, the company has short-term 2030 targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative for a “1.5 degree” global warming limitation.
Virginie Helias, Chief Sustainability Officer at P&G, says: “We don’t have all of the answers on how to bring a net zero future into focus, but we will not let uncertainty hold us back.
“To achieve these goals, we will leverage existing solutions and seek transformative new ones that are not available in the marketplace today.
“This will require partnership across the private, nonprofit and public sectors and involve every aspect of our business, from the very beginning of our products’ lifecycle to the very end.”
Using cold water for laundry
Washing in cold water instead of hot water can reduce energy use by 90%, saving enough energy to power the average American home for more than an hour.
P&G says that cold water can also help clothes to last longer through slowing the fading of colours and shrinking of fabrics.
However, there are concerns that cold water may not clean laundry as effectively as hot water.
Higher temperatures can kill bacteria, help to dissolve stains like oil and enhance the performance of some detergents.
Enzymes in detergents can target specific types of stains and dirt, breaking them down effectively without the need for harsh chemicals.
Enzyme performance can be affected by temperatures, deforming them or increasing the rate of reactions among other factors.
P&G has set out to find enzymes that perform efficiently in cold temperatures to bring cold water benefits to laundry without reduced performance.
P&G’s partnership with Basecamp Research
The partnership between Basecamp Research and P&G aims to learn from enzymes in organisms adapted to cold conditions.
Basecamp Research’s AI platform has the scale to create advanced proteins designed to carry out functions across a range of conditions, including cold temperatures.
The companies hope that a cleaning enzyme specifically for the cold can help to reduce heating bills and climate impact through allowing consumers to use cold water for effective laundry cleaning.
Dr Oliver Vince, Co-Founder of Basecamp Research, says: "We'll leverage our unparalleled view of the tree of life and our breakthrough AI platform that makes protein design programmable.
“We’re excited to partner with leaders in this field and demonstrate a fundamentally different approach.”
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