Gram-positive fatty acid degrader

Abstract

The invention discloses a Gram-positive microorganism, Bacillus megaterium, that effectively and efficiently degrades fats, oils and grease. A composition comprising said microorganism and a method for degrading fatty acids and grease are also disclosed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is related to identifying a Gram-positive organism that degrades fats, oils and grease. More particularly, the present invention is related to providing a non-pathogenic, spore-forming Gram-positive, lipophilic bacterial strain that produces extracellular lipase and also efficiently oxidizes or degrades fatty acids and grease. The invention is further related to a formulation comprising said Gram-positive organism. BACKGROUND Most food service establishments are required to have a device that prevents grease from flowing directly from the kitchen or food preparation area into the sewer or to an on-site waste disposal system. Commonly called grease traps, these devices function to physically prevent oils and grease from flowing directly into the sanitary sewer and to store the separated grease solid for eventual solid waste disposal. Many municipalities place restrictions and surcharges based on the biological oxygen demand (BOD), and o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a non-pathogenic, spore-forming Gram-positive, lipophilic bacterial strain that produces extracellular lipase and also efficiently hydrolyzes or degrades fatty acids and grease or a mixture of fatty acid and grease

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a composition comprising a non-pathogenic, spore-forming Gram-positive, lipophilic bacterial strain that produces extracellular lipase and efficiently hydrolyzes or degrades fats, oils and grease.

Yet another object of the present invention is to enhance the biodegrading activity of Gram-positive strain of Bacillus species.

Problems solved by technology

In addition to wastewater treatment costs and surcharges, the grease solids from the traps must also be periodically removed and disposed.

The food service establishment then faces two recurring charges for wastewater treatment, one a municipal treatment cost and secondly a grease disposal cost.

If traps are not cleaned on a regular basis, grease clogs may occur causing wastewater to back up into the food preparation area causing malodors and requiring the establishment to close until the problem is corrected.

However the fatty acids are difficult to degrade and can persist causing pH drops, clogging and malodors.

Therefore, products containing Gram-negative organisms cannot contain biocides and surfactants.

Then, unpreserved liquid products may develop severe malodors from microbial contaminants growing in the product.

Some of these contaminants may be undesirable in a food service environment.

Furthermore, unpreserved products may also suffer from decreased shelf life and efficacy.

Clearly, while Gram-negative microorganisms have an advantage in fatty acid degradation, their use in residential and food service products have serious drawbacks.

However, this advantage is only marginal and varies significantly from strain to strain.

Disadvantages of dry products include contaminating dust and difficulty in handling dry materials.

Although dry products can be rehydrated with water and applied like liquid products, the disadvantages of using unpreserved liquids containing Gram-negative microorganisms still apply to rehydrated dry materials.

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