Invertebrate Feedstock via Multi-Step Microbial Fermentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for converting invertebrates into feedstocks lack efficiency in enhancing nutritional, chemical, biological, anti-oxidant, and probiotic profiles, and often require expensive probiotics with little calorific value, which are time-consuming to incorporate into animal feed.
Innovation Solution
A process involving perforation and extraction of invertebrates, followed by microbial fermentation using a two or more-step process with different microbes and conditions, creating growth media from solid and liquid invertebrate components, and optionally adding additives to enhance fermentation outcomes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If expensive probiotics are added to enhance nutritional profile, then probiotic content is improved, but cost increases and time to incorporate into feed increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invertebrates perform self-fermentation of their own biomass, naturally producing probiotics and enzymes without requiring external addition of expensive probiotics. This self-service approach eliminates the need for time-consuming incorporation steps while reducing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
Microbial fermentation acts as an intermediary process that transforms invertebrate biomass into feedstock enriched with probiotics and enzymes. The fermentation process mediates between the raw invertebrate material and the final feed product, naturally generating the desired probiotic content.
2Productivity
If external enzymes are added to improve digestion, then digestive efficiency is improved, but cost and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invertebrates and fermenting microbes produce their own digestive enzymes internally, eliminating the need for external enzyme additions. The fermentation process generates enzymes that are naturally incorporated into the feedstock, simplifying processing while maintaining digestive efficiency.
3Ease of manufacture
If single-step fermentation is used, then process simplicity is maintained, but nutritional and probiotic profile enhancement is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The fermentation process is divided into multiple sequential steps, each with different microbial communities and conditions, allowing progressive enhancement of nutritional and probiotic profiles. The multi-step approach segments the transformation process to achieve superior results while maintaining reasonable complexity.
4Productivity
If invertebrate biomass is directly used as feed, then processing time is reduced, but nutritional value and digestibility are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invertebrate biomass undergoes preliminary fermentation treatment before being used as feed. This preliminary action of microbial fermentation pre-digests the biomass and enriches it with probiotics, improving nutritional value and digestibility while maintaining relatively quick processing time.
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
The process results in an animal feedstock with improved nutritional, chemical, biological, anti-oxidant, and probiotic profiles, enhancing animal health and digestion while reducing the need for external enzyme additions and improving feed conversion rates.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting one or more of the growth media to microbial fermentation; wherein microbial fermentation is carried out as a two or more step process
Data Source
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Figure 1B
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AI summary
A process for converting invertebrates into a feedstock or feedstocks using microbial fermentation, and products thereof.