Leaf Biomass Hydrolysate Fermentation Substrate
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of fermentation substrates limits the production of biobased chemicals and biofuels, as many organic chemicals require complex and expensive substrates like yeast extract or peptones, and there is a need for plant-based growth media to replace animal-derived products, especially for industrial fermentations and production of probiotics.
Innovation Solution
The development of leaf biomass hydrolysate (LBH) as a nutrient-rich composition derived from plant leaf matter, which can be used to promote microbial growth, reduce production costs, and serve as a substrate for fermentation-based production of chemicals, biofuels, and probiotics, by extracting and processing leaf components such as proteins and secondary metabolites from various plant species.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If expensive substrates like yeast extract or peptones are used for fermentation, then microbial growth and production of organic chemicals are improved, but production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive plant-based materials (agricultural residues, food waste, green leaves) as disposable fermentation substrates to replace expensive yeast extract and peptones. These cheap, readily available materials provide sufficient nutrients for microbial growth without the high costs associated with traditional substrates, directly resolving the contradiction between productivity and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of fermentation substrates by using plant-based materials with different nutrient profiles compared to yeast extract or peptones. By adjusting substrate composition to include appropriate carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins from plant sources, the patent achieves effective microbial growth at lower costs, addressing both productivity and cost concerns.
2Productivity
If complex substrates like yeast extract are used, then effective production of certain organic chemicals is achieved, but substrate cost and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes specific nutrient components (carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins) from plant-based materials that are essential for microbial growth and organic chemical production. By isolating and using only the necessary nutritional elements from simple plant sources rather than complex commercial substrates, the patent reduces substrate complexity while maintaining production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs universal plant-based substrates that can serve multiple fermentation processes for different organic chemicals (lactic acid, succinic acid, ethanol, etc.). These multi-functional substrates replace the need for specialized complex substrates for each chemical production, reducing overall process complexity while maintaining productivity across various fermentation applications.
3Productivity
If animal-derived substrates are used for fermentation, then microbial growth is supported, but there is a need for plant-based alternatives for vegetarian products and disease prevention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses single-use plant-based materials (agricultural residues, food waste, green leaves) as fermentation substrates that eliminate the need for animal-derived products. These disposable plant substrates support microbial growth effectively while being free from animal disease risks, resolving the contradiction between productivity and harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts potentially wasted plant materials (agricultural residues, food waste) into beneficial fermentation substrates. By transforming these discarded plant resources into effective growth media, the patent simultaneously achieves productivity goals and eliminates the harmful aspects of animal-derived substrates, creating a win-win solution.
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
LBH stimulates microbial growth by over eight-fold compared to standard media, making it suitable for producing organic acids, biofuels, and other fermentation products, while being more cost-effective than traditional substrates, and can be used with inexpensive sources like soy meal or glucose to produce complex products.
Implementation Method 1
a composition comprising a hydrolysate of plant leaf matter
Implementation Method 2
stimulating the growth of beneficial microorganisms in fermentation processes
Data Source
AI summary
The invention describes a novel composition of matter obtained from the leaves of green plants, which is useful in promoting the growth of beneficial microorganisms. Specifically, that the invention describes a hydrolysate prepared from plant leaf biomass (leaf biomass hydrolysate or “LBH”) which dramatically stimulates the growth of beneficial microorganisms. Use of LBH as a fermentation substrate can also stimulate rapid production of organic acids and other organic compounds. LBH can be used as a substrate to promote the fermentation-based production of biobased industrial chemicals or biofuels, LBH can be utilized as a prebiotic to promote the growth of beneficial probiotic organisms. In addition, LBH may also be useful in stimulating the fermentation-based production of other products, examples of which include preservatives, antibiotics, antigens, vaccines, amino acids, vitamins, recombinant proteins, bioremediation treatments, and immobilized enzymes.