Microbial Cell Extract via Mechanical Disintegration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing microbial cell extracts, particularly β-glucans, are complex, energy-intensive, and limited to specific microbial types, often requiring chemical, thermal, or enzymatic treatments, which can degrade functional properties and are not suitable for broader microbial biomass applications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving mechanical disintegration of microbial biomass at controlled temperatures below 35°C, followed by separation into light and heavy fractions with specific size distributions, and optional further processing to enhance β-glucan content and functional properties without harsh chemicals or enzymes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If chemical, thermal, or enzymatic treatments are used to produce microbial cell extracts, then β-glucan extraction efficiency is improved, but functional properties are degraded and processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical, thermal, and enzymatic treatment systems with a mechanical disintegration system. Specifically, it uses high-pressure homogenization (a mechanical process) to disrupt microbial cell walls and extract β-glucans, thereby avoiding the use of harsh chemicals, high temperatures, or enzymes that would otherwise be required to achieve similar extraction efficiency while preserving functional properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the extraction parameters from chemical/thermal/enzymatic conditions to mechanical parameters. By controlling pressure (e.g., 100-200 MPa), temperature (maintained below 40°C to preserve functionality), and number of passes through the homogenizer, the process achieves effective β-glucan extraction while maintaining the integrity of functional compounds.
2Productivity
If chemical, thermal, or enzymatic treatments are used to produce microbial cell extracts, then extraction completeness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes energy-intensive chemical, thermal, and enzymatic processes with a mechanical high-pressure homogenization system. This mechanical approach achieves complete extraction of β-glucans and other cellular components without requiring the sustained high temperatures, chemical reagents, or extended reaction times that would consume excessive energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent skips the multiple sequential steps typically required in conventional extraction (chemical treatment, thermal processing, enzymatic hydrolysis, filtration, purification) by using a single high-pressure homogenization step that rapidly and completely disintegrates cells and releases contents, thereby reducing total processing time and energy consumption.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional extraction methods are used, then β-glucan purity is improved, but process complexity and number of steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate extraction and purification steps into a single integrated high-pressure homogenization process. By combining cell disruption, content release, and initial separation into one operation, the process achieves β-glucan purity comparable to conventional multi-step methods while dramatically reducing process complexity and the number of equipment components required.
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
Produces a microbial cell extract with enhanced β-glucan content, improved water and oil holding capacities, and functional properties, suitable for animal feed formulations, reducing feed conversion ratios and increasing animal body weight and litter quality without the need for intensive processing steps.
Implementation Method 1
mechanically disintegrating the microbial biomass at a temperature below 35° C. to produce a disintegrated biomass
Implementation Method 2
separating the disintegrated biomass into a light fraction and a heavy fraction comprising fragments of different sizes suspended in an aqueous mixture
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a microbial cell extract. The invention further relates to a microbial cell extract obtained by or obtainable by said method. The invention further relates to the use of said microbial cell extract, with applications in diet formulations for animals.