Chinese scientists turn carbon dioxide to starch with 10-fold productivity boost

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Victoria BelaJanuary 23, 2026 at 02:00 PM

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Chinese scientists at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (TIB) have significantly improved a method for synthesizing starch from carbon dioxide. First unveiled in 2021, the technique uses enzymes to convert CO2 into starch, initially at a rate 8.5 times faster than natural corn starch production. Recent advancements have increased the starch output tenfold compared to the 2021 results. The researchers, led by Professor Cai Tao, are now focused on reducing costs and improving efficiency to commercialize the technology. This innovation could potentially enable industrial starch production without relying on traditional agriculture. The goal is to make the process economically viable for widespread application.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Corn 30% Science 30% China Science Daily ×250% Cai Tao 60% China 70% Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (TIB) ×280% Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) ×290%

Keywords

starch synthesis 90% carbon dioxide 90% industrial starch production 80% productivity boost 70% synthetic starch 70% commercialization 60% enzymes 60% agriculture 50%