Lactose as Protective Additive for Biocontrol Use

MEGGLE WHITEPAPER 2025

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗲?
Biologicals are transforming modern agriculture – enabling more sustainable, environmentally friendly crop protection. But their effectiveness doesn’t only depend on the active ingredient. Formulation matters.

In our latest whitepaper, we explore how lactose can act as a protective carrier for biological actives – supporting stability, application, and performance in integrated pest management (IPM) systems.

• Enable more robust formulations
• Support eco-friendly crop protection strategies
• Unlock new potential for biologicals

Lactose as Protective Additive for Biocontrol Use

1. Introduction

Biologicals, in the agricultural sector, are natural substances and living organisms to protect and improve the health of food crops. They could manage pests, diseases, and enhance plant growth. They are an alternative or complement to chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and are generally more environmentally friendly. In today’s rapidly changing world – where greater food production is needed while sustainability becomes increasingly important – farmers require more eco-friendly cultivation methods. Growers utilize biologicals to enhance chemical products within an integrated pest management (IPM) program.¹

Thanks to the development of biologicals, farmers now have additional options for managing plant diseases. Farmers can apply biologicals directly to plants, to the soil where they grow, or as a seed treatment. These products are used worldwide across various fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and row and field crops. Biologicals are highly versatile and effective in both organic and conventional crop production systems.¹ To apply biologicals effectively in agriculture, it is crucial to understand the origin of these natural substances.

Biological plant protection solutions (biocontrols) rely on naturally occurring substances that directly impact fungal, bacterial, or animal pests.

Biocontrols include materials from plants, algae/microalgae, animal sources, minerals, bacteria, fungi, peptides, viruses, and mycoplasmas. They may be extracted directly from nature or synthesized to be nature-identical.²

As sustainability gains importance, environmentally friendly farming methods – often referred to as organic agriculture – are also becoming more essential.³ This approach aims to reduce or eliminate the use of plant growth regulators, synthetic fertilizers, feed additives, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms. Biologicals play a key role in meeting these sustainability goals.

In this context, lactose can be used as a natural carrier in combination with an organic active ingredient for crop protection (e.g., sprayed on plants or applied directly to the soil).

2. Usage of MEGGLEs Lactose as protective additive for biocontrol agents

The world of lactose is MEGGLE’s world. What began in 1887 as a dairy operation in the town of Wasserburg, near Munich, is now one of the leading manufacturers of pharmaceutical lactose worldwide. For over 70 years, we have been providing the pharmaceutical market with a broadbased lactose product portfolio unmatched in the industry. But in the last two decades the importance of sustainability gains more importance across all industries, also in the field of organic agriculture, which leads us to expand our market. In relation to environmental-friendly farming we constantly work to develop high-tech products that deliver maximum performance in our customers’ applications. Our success is founded upon strong performance and partnerships with several customers in the field of usage of Lactose as a carrier for biocontrol agent. Customers can rely on our expertise in the development of effective products, in the implementation of trends and in our independent, global network in
the fields of research, development, technical support, engineering, sales, and distribution.

Lactose is being studied as a potential biocontrol agent, particularly in agriculture and postharvest treatments. In one study by Zheng et al. (2019), lactose was shown to play an important role in protecting yeast cells (Candida oleophila) against heat stress.⁴

In this experiment, C. oleophila cells were exposed to 45°C for 10 minutes while immersed in 5 % or 10 % (w/v) maltose or lactose. The presence of these sugars enhanced the enzyme activity and gene expression of catalase, thioredoxin reductase, and glutathione reductase. Notably, the biocontrol efficacy of C. oleophila against postharvest diseases – such as Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium expansum in apples – remained high after exposure to elevated temperatures when the yeast was immersed in solutions containing maltose or lactose.⁴

The relatively low cost of lactose makes it ideal for use as a protective additive in yeast-based biocontrol formulations. In addition, lactose – among other sugars – improves the performance of biocontrol agents by increasing their enzyme activity and cellular energy levels. This affordability, combined with efficacy, renders lactose-based solutions practical for commercial agricultural use. These findings demonstrate how natural compounds such as lactose can support environmentally friendly biocontrol methods, reducing reliance on chemical fungicides while enhancing food safety and quality.

3. Summary & Outlook

Biologicals are natural substances – such as plants, bacteria, and minerals – to protect crops, manage diseases, and improve overall sustainability. By reducing reliance on synthetic chemicals, farming becomes more eco-friendly. Lactose, in particular, shows significant potential in agriculture as a protective additive that shields other biocontrol organisms (e.g., yeasts) from adverse environmental stresses like heat treatment.

For these applications, lactose with high purity and a long shelf life is essential to avoid unwanted interactions with active ingredients. Furthermore, as regulatory pressure mounts to reduce or eliminate microplastics (including those introduced via pesticides) in agricultural soils, focusing on environmentally responsible solutions becomes increasingly important.

Thanks to its low cost and ability to enhance enzyme activity, lactose stands out as a promising, eco-friendly alternative to chemical fungicides in agriculture.

See the full MEGGLE whitepaper Lactose as Protective Additive for Biocontrol Use

(click the picture to download the poster)

Source: MEGGLE, Whitepaper: LACTOSE AS PROTECTIVE ADDITIVE

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