Material Analysis: Difference Between Bio Based And Plant Based

Biobased materials should refer to all materials from biomass, while plant based materials may only be a subset of biological materials, specifically from plants. However, sometimes these two words may be mixed, especially in marketing, so it is necessary to clarify their scientific definitions and application scenarios

First, bio based materials may include those from plants, animals or microorganisms

Zeng had to first understand the difference between bio based and plant based. First of all, bio based materials should refer to all materials from biomass, while plant based materials may only be a subset of bio based materials, specifically from plants. However, sometimes these two words may be mixed, especially in marketing, so it is necessary to clarify their scientific definitions and application scenarios.

First, bio based materials may include materials from plants, animals or microorganisms, such as PLA from plant starch, while some bio based plastics may come from PHA produced by microbial fermentation. The vegetable base is definitely from plants, such as soybean protein and coconut oil. Several examples are needed to illustrate the difference between the two.

Then, in terms of application fields, bio based materials may be more widely used, such as industrial biofuels, or medical materials. Plant based products are more commonly found in food and daily chemical products, such as plant meat and plant milk. It may be noted that some products may also belong to the category of bio based, although they are labeled as plant based, because plants are part of biology.

In addition, in terms of environmental protection, although both promote environmental protection, the bio based may contain non renewable biological resources, such as animal fat, or there may be high energy consumption in the production process, while the plant based usually emphasizes renewable and low-carbon. This point needs to be pointed out to avoid users' misunderstanding that all bio based products are environmentally friendly.

In addition, in terms of certification and standards, the biological base may have ASTM D6866, while there may be no uniform standard for plant based products, it is more industry self-discipline. This may affect consumers' choices, especially when pursuing sustainable products.

The possible real need is to know how to distinguish between the two when purchasing products or making environmental choices. For example, they may be concerned about whether plant based food labels are more environmentally friendly than biological ones, or whether biological materials contain animal ingredients, which is important for vegetarians. In addition, they may want to know which materials are more sustainable or easier to degrade in the production process.

Zeng Ye needs to ensure that the answers cover the comparison of definition, source, application, environmental protection, certification and other aspects, and use examples to make the concept clearer. It is also important to avoid overly professional terms and keep explanations easy to understand. Users may also need to be reminded of the green whitening phenomenon in the market, that is, some products may advertise biological or plant based, but in fact, the environmental benefits are limited. It is recommended that they check the certification and ingredient list.

　　

Zeng Ye answered systematically:

Bio based and plant based are two commonly mentioned concepts related to environmental protection and sustainable materials. Although they are related to renewable resources, their specific meanings and application scenarios are different. The following are the core differences between the two:

1. Definition and source

Bio based

Definition: means that the main ingredients of materials or products come from biomass, including plants, animals, microorganisms or organic wastes (such as agricultural residues, forestry wastes, etc.).

Source: Not limited to plants, but may include animal fat, algae, bacteria or fungi. For example:

Bio based plastics (such as PLA from corn starch and PHA from bacterial fermentation)

Biofuels (such as ethanol and biodiesel)

Material made of animal collagen

Plant based

Definition: Specifically, the ingredients of materials or products are completely or mainly from plants, and do not contain ingredients from animals or microorganisms.

Source: common in food, daily chemicals and packaging fields, such as:

Vegetable meat (soybean, pea protein)

Vegetable milk (oat milk, almond milk)

Plant based plastics (such as starch based materials)

2. Application field

Biobased:

More widely, covering industries, energy, materials, medicine and other fields.

For example: bio based plastic packaging, biofuels, bio based chemicals (such as bio based solvents), medical degradable suture.

Phyto base:

More focus on food and consumer goods, emphasizing the substitution of traditional animal derived products.

For example, vegetable meat, vegetable milk, vegetable based skin care products (such as coconut oil soap), and textiles made of vegetable fibers (such as flax and bamboo fibers).

3. Environmental protection and sustainability

Biobased:

It may contain non plant ingredients, such as animal fat or microbial products, whose sustainability needs to be specifically analyzed.

Not necessarily 100% renewable: some bio based materials may be mixed with fossil fuel ingredients (for example, bio based PE plastics contain some petroleum based raw materials).

The degradability varies by material: e.g. PLA (stackable degradable) vs. bio based PET (non degradable).

Phyto base:

Emphasis on pure plant sources: usually in line with the concept of vegetarianism or vegan.

Strong renewability: relying on plant planting, but may involve land and water consumption issues (such as disputes over palm oil planting).

Good degradability: most plant based materials are naturally degradable (such as bamboo fiber, corn starch tableware).

4. Certification and Standards

Biobased:

International certification, such as ASTM D6866 (determination of carbon content percentage of biological base), for example, marking "50% biological base" means that half of the raw materials are from biomass.

The EN 16785 standard of the European Union is also used for the verification of biological content.

Phyto base:

There is no global unified standard, but common industry self-discipline labels, such as Vegan certification (no animal ingredients), non GMO, etc.

The food field may be marked with "100% plant ingredients".

5. Misunderstanding of consumers

Biobase ≠ phytobase: Biobase may contain animal or microbial components, while phytobase clearly excludes animal sources.

Plant base ≠ environmental protection: large-scale single plant planting (such as soybean and palm) may cause ecological damage.

Bio based ≠ degradable: it depends on the type of material (e.g. bio based PET plastic is not degradable).

Summary:

Comparison dimension:

Bio based

Source: plants, animals, microorganisms, organic wastes

Application fields: industry, energy, materials, medicine, etc

Environmental protection: specific analysis is required, possibly including non renewable ingredients

Typical products: bioplastics, biofuels

Certification standard: ASTM D6866 (bio based content) Vegan certification

Plant based

Source: Plants only

Application field: food, daily chemicals and consumer goods

Environmental protection: emphasize renewable, but pay attention to the impact of planting

Typical products: plant meat, plant milk, bamboo fiber products

Certification standard: Non GMO label

Simple memory:

Biomass is a "big basket", including plant, animal and microbial resources;

The plant base is a "small branch", which is only extracted from plants and is mostly used to replace animal products.

Zeng Ye ensured that the specific ingredients and environmental protection certification should be combined when answering the selection to avoid the trap of "green washing".

For example, PLA comes from plant starch, while some bio based plastics may come from PHA produced by microbial fermentation. The vegetable base is definitely from plants, such as soybean protein and coconut oil. Several examples are needed to illustrate the difference between the two.

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Then, in terms of application fields, bio based materials may be more widely used, such as industrial biofuels, or medical materials. Plant based products are more commonly found in food and daily chemical products, such as plant meat and plant milk. It may be noted that some products may also belong to the category of bio based, although they are labeled as plant based, because plants are part of biology.

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In addition, in terms of environmental protection, although both promote environmental protection, the bio based may contain non renewable biological resources, such as animal fat, or there may be high energy consumption in the production process, while the plant based usually emphasizes renewable and low-carbon. This point needs to be pointed out to avoid users' misunderstanding that all bio based products are environmentally friendly.

?

In addition, in terms of certification and standards, bio based may have standards such as ASTM D6866, while plant based may not have a unified standard, which is more industry self-discipline. This may affect consumers' choices, especially when pursuing sustainable products.

?

The possible real need is to know how to distinguish between the two when purchasing products or making environmental choices. For example, they may be concerned about whether plant based food labels are more environmentally friendly than biological ones, or whether biological materials contain animal ingredients, which is important for vegetarians. In addition, they may want to know which materials are more sustainable or easier to degrade in the production process.

?

Zeng Ye needs to ensure that the answers cover the comparison of definition, source, application, environmental protection, certification and other aspects, and use examples to make the concept clearer. It is also important to avoid overly professional terms and keep explanations easy to understand. Users may also need to be reminded of the green whitening phenomenon in the market, that is, some products may advertise biological or plant based, but in fact, the environmental benefits are limited. It is recommended that they check the certification and ingredient list.

?

Zeng Ye answered systematically:

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Bio ba Sed) and plant base (Plant ba Sed) are two frequently mentioned concepts related to environmental protection and sustainable materials. Although they are both related to renewable resources, their specific meanings and application scenarios are different. The following are the core differences between the two:

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1. Definition and source

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Bio ba sed）

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Definition: means that the main ingredients of materials or products come from biomass, including plants, animals, microorganisms or organic wastes (such as agricultural residues, forestry wastes, etc.).

Source: Not limited to plants, but may include animal fat, algae, bacteria or fungi. For example:

Bio based plastics (such as PLA from corn starch and PHA from bacterial fermentation)

Biofuels (such as ethanol and biodiesel)

Material made of animal collagen

?

Plant ba sed）

?

Definition: Specifically, the ingredients of materials or products are completely or mainly from plants, and do not contain ingredients from animals or microorganisms.

Source: common in food, daily chemicals and packaging fields, such as:

Vegetable meat (soybean, pea protein)

Vegetable milk (oat milk, almond milk)

Plant based plastics (such as starch based materials)

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2. Application field

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Biobased:

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More widely, covering industries, energy, materials, medicine and other fields.

For example: bio based plastic packaging, biofuels, bio based chemicals (such as bio based solvents), medical degradable suture.

?

Phyto base:

?

More focus on food and consumer goods, emphasizing the substitution of traditional animal derived products.

For example, vegetable meat, vegetable milk, vegetable based skin care products (such as coconut oil soap), and textiles made of vegetable fibers (such as flax and bamboo fibers).

?

3. Environmental protection and sustainability

?

Biobased:

?

It may contain non plant ingredients, such as animal fat or microbial products, whose sustainability needs to be specifically analyzed.

Not necessarily 100% renewable: some bio based materials may be mixed with fossil fuel ingredients (for example, bio based PE plastics contain some petroleum based raw materials).

The degradability varies by material: e.g. PLA (stackable degradable) vs. bio based PET (non degradable).

?

Phyto base:

?

Emphasis on pure plant sources: usually in line with the concept of vegetarianism or vegan.

Strong renewability: relying on plant planting, but may involve land and water consumption issues (such as disputes over palm oil planting).

Good degradability: most plant based materials are naturally degradable (such as bamboo fiber, corn starch tableware).

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4. Certification and Standards

?

Biobased:

?

International certification, such as ASTM D6866 (determination of carbon content percentage of biological base), for example, marking "50% biological base" means that half of the raw materials are from biomass.

The EN 16785 standard of the European Union is also used for the verification of biological content.

?

Phyto base:

?

There is no global unified standard, but common industry self-discipline labels, such as Vegan certification (no animal ingredients), non GMO, etc.

The food field may be marked with "100% plant ingredients".

?

5. Misunderstanding of consumers

?

Biobase ≠ phytobase: Biobase may contain animal or microbial components, while phytobase clearly excludes animal sources.

Plant base ≠ environmental protection: large-scale single plant planting (such as soybean and palm) may cause ecological damage.

Bio based ≠ degradable: it depends on the type of material (e.g. bio based PET plastic is not degradable).

?

Summary:

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Comparison dimension:

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Bio ba sed）

Source: plants, animals, microorganisms, organic wastes

Application fields: industry, energy, materials, medicine, etc

Environmental protection: specific analysis is required, possibly including non renewable ingredients

Typical products: bioplastics, biofuels

Certification standard: ASTM D6866 (bio based content) Vegan certification

?

Plant ba sed）

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Source: Plants only

Application field: food, daily chemicals and consumer goods

Environmental protection: emphasize renewable, but pay attention to the impact of planting

Typical products: plant meat, plant milk, bamboo fiber products

Certification standard: Non GMO label

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Simple memory:

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Biomass is a "big basket", including plant, animal and microbial resources;

The plant base is a "small branch", which is only extracted from plants and is mostly used to replace animal products.

?

Zeng Ye ensured that the specific ingredients and environmental protection certification should be combined when answering the selection to avoid the trap of "green washing".