The bioactive compound development company Montisera, whose products are used in the pharmaceutical and food industries, has set up a subsidiary production company called Montinutra Ltd. The research and development department of the new company will be located in Smart Chemistry Park, while there are plans of establishing a production plant in Kuhmo. Montinutra’s range of products includes the SprucegumTM hot water extract, a spruce extract that has been scientifically proven to relieve common lower urinary tract symptoms.
Montinutra’s aim is to develop valuable bioactive compounds with health enhancing qualities from the material flows of the forest industry. The raw materials used by the company include bark, sawdust generated by the processing of spruce and the bases of branches of coniferous trees.
Montisera has been actively developing the technology behind extracting new materials from the residual resources of the forest industry for several years. Patented products have been developed for the purpose of well-being, pharmaceutics and industry.
The first production plant capable of extraction required by the food industry
Montinutra’s production plant will be located in Kuhmo, according to the current plans. The company has already established partnerships with other local companies that realise the potential of the forest industry’s residual resources, such as the Kuhmo-based Biocoil Oy. Once the production plant is completed and active, it will be one of the few units in Europe capable of extracting materials to be used in the food industry from the residual resources of the forest industry. However, the use of wood-based ingredients in foodstuffs requires the status of a novel food from the European Commission, for which the company is applying this year.