Brussels, 13/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - At Danisco headquarters in Copenhagen on Friday 10 December, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a loan agreement to provide up to €120 million to Danisco to part-finance investment at corporate research and innovation centres, predominantly in Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom and France. The company is one of the world's top three in food ingredients and the second largest producer of industrial enzymes. Regarded as one of the sector's most innovative firms ranked by the proportion of new products as a share of total sales, Danisco's research is in line with the objectives of the European Union's “food for life” platform under the 7th framework programme. These objectives include developing an environmentally friendly production and distribution chain. The EIB loan will part-finance Danisco research and innovation from 2010 to 2014. “The EIB is delighted to support this important research, development and innovation (RDI) programme with Danisco, one of Europe's most successful companies in the knowledge economy, which is key to Europe's competitiveness and long-term economic growth,” said EIB Vice-President with responsibility for Denmark Plutarchos Sakellaris. (O.L./transl.rt)