Innovations in Industrial Fermentation to Support a Circular Economy

Matthew Wright – Technical Sales Specialist, BPES

One of the UN’s sustainable development goals requires global food waste to be halved per capita to reduce food losses along production and supply chains by 2030[1]. One of the ways that the circular economy is sustained is through fermentation - a biochemical process in which bacteria, yeast and other microorganisms break down organic matter and convert it into substances such as alcohols or acids.

Fermentation supports the circular economy in a variety of ways, such as food waste reduction, energy production and nutrient recycling. This helps to create new value from organic waste materials and closes the loop on resource use and waste generation.

Biofuels and biochemicals, for instance, are key products of the fermentation process. Renewable biofuels like ethanol could replace gasoline as a resource for transportation, and fermentation can also be used to produce bioplastics and biodegradable products to replace other petroleum-based products. A BPES’ supplier, GreenElephant Biotech, produce their patented technology, the CellScrew, from polylactic acid (PLA), which is made from fermented plant starch derived from corn. The sugar in this renewable material is fermented and turned into lactic acid, which is then polymerised into PLA.

Fermentation has also revolutionised, simplified and transformed a number of processes involving the production of vitamin B-2. The traditional industrial biotechnology process involved an arduous, costly multi-chemical synthesis and purification process, which has been reduced to a one-step fermentation process whereby a fungi micro-organism transforms vegetable oil into vitamin B-2. This highly efficient process now produces over 1,000 metric tons of the vitamin yearly. Research shows a reduction of CO2 emissions of 30% and a 95% reduction in waste production[2].

Waste stream management is another crucial factor supporting sustainability goals and promoting the circular economy. About one-third of all food produced goes to waste every year, making food waste a major global issue. Fermentation plays a key role in lowering that number.

Composting is a popular fermentation method and creates nutrient-rich soil that can be used for agriculture and gardening. Food waste can likewise be converted into biogas through anaerobic digestion, which can be used as a renewable energy source.

A significant amount of agricultural waste is also produced, particularly during the crop production process, and can be repurposed in a variety of ways. One such way is biofuel[3], where a harvest’s crop residue is processed through anaerobic digestion to produce alternative renewable fuels[4] (animal manure can be utilised similarly). Fertilisers and the production of biomaterials such as bioplastics, biofibres, and biocomposites are two other uses for agricultural waste. Second-generation (advanced) biofuels have a greater potential to reduce GHG emissions, though will take time and significant investment to implement. These advanced biofuels are derived from waste products from agriculture and forestry activities such as rice straw, rice husk, wood chips and sawdust[5].

The wisest course of action for the planet may lie in recycling waste into cutting-edge technology for environmental uses. The solution for reducing the negative effects of the current end-of-life waste management systems is far from simple, however. Both the value and cost of waste management will keep rising globally. Although recycling materials is believed to offer a large potential profit, interest in energy as a recovered commodity is anticipated to decline in the near future. Technology won't be a barrier to promoting recycling behaviours, but financial factors may be.

Solaris Biotech, is a leading manufacturer of lab, pilot and industrial-scale bioreactors and fermenters. A company called Bio-on uses Solaris’ fermenters to produce biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) plastics. Their patented plastic technology, MINERV PHA, is derived from 100% renewable and locally sourced raw material. This raw material is made from beet sugars derived from agricultural waste material and undergoes bacterial fermentation to create PHA. This truly organic plastic has a wide range of applications including packaging, clothing, automotive parts, etc. MINERV PHA increases its biodegradability factor using bacteriological-impure water from sources such as rivers. Biodegradation in natural water sources is the easiest way to destroy and then recover elements. PHAs are also the only plastics that can biodegrade in the ocean. The process of biodegradation is carried out by bacteria colonies that are naturally present in all environments. The microorganisms decompose the material, leaving no trace of it in the environment. The bacteria colonies and their concentrations differ depending on where the biodegradation takes place, taking into account specific temperatures, humidity, pH, oxygen, etc.

To date, a number of novel strategies have been researched to lower the cost of bioprocesses and to increase output yield. Currently, a variety of processes are frequently used for the valorisation of food waste, such as the production of biohydrogen via dark fermentation, the production of biomethane via anaerobic digestion, the co-fermentation of the simultaneous production of biohydrogen and biomethane, and the formation of biofertilizers through composting[6].