Bacteriocin Biomass pH Adjustment for Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing processes for producing bacteriocin-based biomass for food preservation often result in significant loss of active bacteriocins during downstream processing, reducing their effectiveness in inhibiting pathogenic bacteria in food products.

Innovation Solution

A method involving cultivating a bacteriocin-producing strain in a growth medium, adjusting the pH to below 5, separating the biomass, and optionally adding a flocculant or excipient, followed by pH adjustment and drying to enhance bacteriocin retention and activity in the final product.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If conventional downstream processing is used to obtain bacteriocin-based biomass, then the biomass can be obtained, but significant loss of active bacteriocins occurs during processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveloss of active bacteriocinsVSAvoideffectiveness in inhibiting pathogenic bacteria

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the pH of the culture medium to below 5.0 during the fermentation process. This pH adjustment creates optimal conditions for bacteriocin production and stability, preventing their degradation during downstream processing. The low pH environment preserves the structural integrity and biological activity of bacteriocins, thereby reducing loss during biomass recovery and maintaining their effectiveness against pathogenic bacteria.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the amount of active bacteriocins is increased in the final product, then food safety is improved, but the complexity of the production process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood safetyVSAvoidcomplexity of production process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by adjusting the pH to below 5.0 during the fermentation phase itself, rather than attempting to recover and concentrate bacteriocins after production. This preliminary pH adjustment ensures maximum bacteriocin stability and activity are achieved during their synthesis, eliminating the need for complex downstream purification steps and directly increasing the amount of active bacteriocins in the final biomass product.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This process increases the inhibitory effect against pathogenic bacteria, such as Listeria spp., by at least 90%, effectively enhancing food safety without compromising product quality.

Implementation Method 1

Adjusting the pH of the culture medium to below 5... increases the amount of active bacteriocins present in the biomass after end of fermentation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPrecipitation: Precipitation

Implementation Method 2

Optionally adding a flocculant... Separating the biomass from the culture medium

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlocculation: Flocculation

Data Source

PatentUS20220033859A1Increased bioactivity of bioprotective cultures against pathogenic bacteria

Publication Date: 2022.02.03 CHR HANSEN AS

AI summary

The present invention relates to a process for obtaining a biomass composition of a bacterium strain with bactericidal activity which inhibits or kills various pathogenic bacteria.