Continuous Mycoprotein Fermentation with Spent Media Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of mycoprotein is costly due to high energy consumption, water usage, and plant operating costs associated with aerobic fermentation, and existing processes require complex control of growth conditions and substrate to achieve the desired mycoprotein to ethanol ratio, leading to nutrient component interactions that impact quality and consistency.
Innovation Solution
A continuous process involving the fermentation of a carbohydrate-rich media with filamentous fungi, where partially spent fermentation media is isolated and reintroduced into the fermentation vessel, reducing the need for fresh media and energy, and incorporating a heat treatment step to degrade nucleic acids, while maintaining an excess of carbohydrate and nutrients to support microbial growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If heat treatment step is performed to reduce RNA content, then nucleic acid content is reduced, but energy consumption increases and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the heat treatment step from the conventional mycoprotein production process. Instead of performing heat treatment to reduce RNA content, the invention uses a combination of filtration to remove cell debris and enzymatic degradation (using RNase) to break down nucleic acids, thereby achieving the same purification effect without the high energy consumption and long processing times associated with thermal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal field (heat treatment) with a combination of mechanical filtration and enzymatic action. The mechanical filtration system removes cell debris and unfermented substrate, while RNase enzymes chemically degrade nucleic acids, substituting the high-energy thermal process with lower-energy mechanical and chemical methods.
2Manufacturing precision
If heat treatment step is performed to reduce RNA content, then nucleic acid content is reduced, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the heat treatment step from the conventional mycoprotein production process. Instead of performing heat treatment to reduce RNA content, the invention uses a combination of filtration to remove cell debris and enzymatic degradation (using RNase) to break down nucleic acids, thereby achieving the same purification effect without the high energy consumption and long processing times associated with thermal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous filtration and enzymatic degradation throughout the fermentation process rather than performing a separate batch heat treatment step. The filtration system continuously removes cell debris, and RNase enzymes continuously degrade nucleic acids, achieving progressive purification that eliminates the need for time-consuming post-fermentation heat treatment.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex control of growth conditions and substrate is used to achieve desired mycoprotein to ethanol ratio, then mycoprotein to ethanol ratio is controlled, but device complexity and operating cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ethanol production step from the conventional co-fermentation process. Instead of controlling the ratio between mycoprotein and ethanol production through complex substrate management, the invention uses a two-stage process where aerobic fermentation produces mycoprotein first, followed by anaerobic fermentation of the spent media to produce ethanol. This separation of functions simplifies control requirements while maintaining product quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fermentation process into two distinct stages: (1) aerobic fermentation to produce mycoprotein, and (2) anaerobic fermentation to produce ethanol. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, simplifying the overall control system compared to managing a single complex co-fermentation process for both products simultaneously.
4Productivity
If high water usage is employed in the process, then mycoprotein production is supported, but water consumption increases and plant operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and reuses the spent fermentation media from the aerobic fermentation process. Instead of discarding the spent media containing remaining nutrients and carbohydrates, the invention feeds this spent media into the anaerobic fermentation process to produce ethanol. This recovery and reuse of spent media significantly reduces water consumption and plant operating costs while maintaining mycoprotein production levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the spent fermentation media serve multiple functions: first as the growth medium for mycoprotein production during aerobic fermentation, and then as the substrate for ethanol production during anaerobic fermentation. This multi-functionality of the spent media eliminates the need for large volumes of fresh water and reduces overall plant operating costs.
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 decreases energy and water usage, reduces processing times, and enhances the consistency and quality of mycoprotein production by recycling nutrients and carbohydrates, thereby lowering production costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
Mycoprotein is a form of single-cell protein that is typically used as a food product or ingredient. It is conventionally produced by aerobic fermentation of a carbohydrate source using filamentous fungi
Implementation Method 2
a heat treatment step is required to reduce the content of nucleic acid, such as RNA, present in the mycoprotein product
Data Source
AI summary
There is described a continuous process for producing and isolating mycoprotein. The process may comprise the steps of: providing a fermentation media suitable for producing mycoprotein; introducing the fermentation media to a first fermentation vessel; fermenting the fermentation media to obtain a mixture comprising mycoprotein and partially spent fermentation media; isolating at least part of the partially spent fermentation media from the mixture comprising mycoprotein and partially spent fermentation media; and reintroducing at least a portion of the isolated partially spent fermentation media into the first fermentation vessel. Also described is mycoprotein obtained from the process.