05/26/2025

Launch of EU project ‘CERISEA’: industrial production of 5-HMF

Michelin Engineered Polymers and twelve partners, including ifeu, are launching a pioneering project called CERISEA: for the first time, the bio-based platform chemical 5-HMF (5-hydroxymethylfurfural) is to be produced on an industrial scale from fructose and non-food by-products. 5-HMF is considered a versatile ‘sleeping giant’ of green chemistry – but until now, there has been no economical way to produce it on an industrial scale.

The European Union-funded CBE flagship project CERISEA aims to change this and unlock the enormous potential of 5-HMF for sustainable applications – from biopolymers and plant protection products to plastics such as polyester and polyurethanes. There is a particular focus on circularity: also co-products such as humins are utilised. In addition, there are important synergies with the CBE flagship project PEFerence, which produces 2.5-FDCA (2.5-furandicarboxylic acid) based on HMF.

The twelve partners from France, the Netherlands, Spain, Austria and Germany cover the entire value chain – from raw material suppliers to brand owners with concrete market interest.

ifeu is leading the work package ‘Integrated Sustainability Assessment’ and is particularly responsible for the environmental assessment, including the life cycle assessment.

To the ifeu project page

Further information can be found on the project website