Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products

A special issue of Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637). This special issue belongs to the section "Industrial Fermentation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 43745

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Guest Editor
IMDEA Energy Institute, Madrid, Spain
Interests: anaerobic digestion; anaerobic fermentation; bioenergy, bioproducts; biofuels; microalgae; organic waste valorization; microbial community analysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Worldwide concerns regarding fossil fuel reserve exhaustion is not only associated with energy security but also with the future availability of a wide number of compounds that are currently produced through petrochemical routes. The search for an alternative source able to replace petrochemical derivatives while promoting a sustainable development gave rise to considering organic wastes a valuable feedstock for producing energy and products. Within this approach, the valorization of organic wastes does not only help to solve environmental pollution but could also contribute to the transition from a linear to a renewable circular economy. In this regard, biological processes are considered sustainable and cost-effective technologies to valorize different kinds of organic wastes (municipal solid waste, agroindustrial wastes, lignocellulosic biomass, microalgae, food industry effluents, etc.) into biochemicals with a high industrial interest, including fatty acids, succinic acid, lactic acid, bioethanol, biopolymers, amino acids, and biohydrogen, among others.

The Special Issue will be focused on organic waste valorization via biological processes into added-value products. The main topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • New biological processes;
  • Process optimization;
  • Biofuel production;
  • Bioenergy production;
  • Green chemical production;
  • Waste valorization;
  • Product recovery;
  • Microbial analysis.

Dr. Silvia Greses
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • fermentative processes
  • innovative bioprocesses
  • bioprocess optimization
  • added-value bioproducts
  • green chemicals
  • circular economy
  • organic wastes
  • microbial community

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 572 KiB  
Article
Use of Brewers’ Spent Grains as a Potential Functional Ingredient for the Production of Traditional Herzegovinian Product Ćupter
by Anita Lalić, Andrea Karlović and Marina Marić
Fermentation 2023, 9(2), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9020123 - 27 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2313
Abstract
Ćupter is Herzegovinian candy made of must and flour/semolina. Much research about the incorporation of brewers’ spent grains into the human diet has been published. The purpose of this study was to partially replace semolina (Samples 1 and 2) and flour (Samples 3 [...] Read more.
Ćupter is Herzegovinian candy made of must and flour/semolina. Much research about the incorporation of brewers’ spent grains into the human diet has been published. The purpose of this study was to partially replace semolina (Samples 1 and 2) and flour (Samples 3 and 4) with brewers’ spent grains originating from industrial (Samples 1 and 4) and craft breweries (Samples 2 and 3) and study nutritive, chemical, and preference properties of the product. In this research, the authors aimed to find application of this already proven functional ingredient in ćupter production. Values for pH were higher for all samples compared to the traditional recipe. Samples produced with flour had higher values of water activity (0.86 ± 0.01) and moisture (41.82 ± 1.68 and 41.11 ± 1.41). Ash content increased with BSG addition, but between samples, there were no significant differences. Collected data showed significant differences in fat levels. Higher protein content was measured for Samples 4 (6.60 ± 0.17) and 1 (6.13 ± 0.07). The highest total sugar content was measured for Sample 1. The general appearance for all samples was “moderately like”. Nutritive value was improved with the addition of BSG, but recipes and drying should be modified to improve consumer acceptance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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18 pages, 3303 KiB  
Article
From Agri-Food Wastes to Polyhydroxyalkanoates through a Sustainable Process
by Federico Verdini, Silvia Tabasso, Francesco Mariatti, Francesca Bosco, Chiara Mollea, Emanuela Calcio Gaudino, Alessio Cirio and Giancarlo Cravotto
Fermentation 2022, 8(10), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8100556 - 19 Oct 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2633
Abstract
The biologically-derived polymers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable and can be considered a valuable alternative to conventional fossil-based plastics. However, upstream and downstream processes for PHA production are characterized by high energy and chemical consumption and are not economically competitive with petroleum-based polymers. Aiming [...] Read more.
The biologically-derived polymers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable and can be considered a valuable alternative to conventional fossil-based plastics. However, upstream and downstream processes for PHA production are characterized by high energy and chemical consumption and are not economically competitive with petroleum-based polymers. Aiming to improve both the environmental and economical sustainability of PHAs production, in this work, corn straw was used as raw material to obtain a mixture of fermentable sugars after microwave-assisted flash hydrolysis (2 min, 0.01 g/L, 50.7% yield). A mixed microbial culture enriched from dairy industry waste was used for fermentation in a shake flask, allowing us to achieve good poly(hydroxy-butyrate-co-hydroxy-valerate) yields (41.4%, after 72 h of fermentation). A scale-up in a stirred tank bioreactor (3 L) gave higher yields (76.3%, after 96 h), allowing in both cases to achieve a concentration of 0.42 g/L in the fermentation medium. The possibility of producing PHAs from agricultural waste using a mixed microbial culture from the food industry with enabling technologies could make the production of biopolymers more competitive. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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18 pages, 1166 KiB  
Article
Growth Performance and Biochemical Composition of Waste-Isolated Microalgae Consortia Grown on Nano-Filtered Pig Slurry and Cheese Whey under Mixotrophic Conditions
by Min Su, Marta Dell’Orto, Barbara Scaglia, Giuliana D’Imporzano and Fabrizio Adani
Fermentation 2022, 8(10), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8100474 - 22 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2881
Abstract
The cultivation mode plays a vital role in algal growth and composition. This paper assessed the growth ability of twelve algae–microbial consortia (ACs) originally selected from organic wastes when nano-filtered pig slurry wastewater (NFP) and cheese whey (CW) were used as growth substrates [...] Read more.
The cultivation mode plays a vital role in algal growth and composition. This paper assessed the growth ability of twelve algae–microbial consortia (ACs) originally selected from organic wastes when nano-filtered pig slurry wastewater (NFP) and cheese whey (CW) were used as growth substrates in a mixotrophic mode in comparison with a photoautotrophic mode. Nutrient uptake ability, biochemical composition, fatty acids, and amino acid profiles of ACs were compared between both cultivation conditions. On average, 47% higher growth rates and 35% higher N uptake were found in mixotrophic cultivation along with significant P and TOC removal rates. Changing the cultivation mode did not affect AA and FA composition but improved EAA content, providing the potential for AC_5 and AC_4 to be used as local protein feed supplements. The results also showed the possibility for AC_6 and AC_1 to be used as omega-3 supplements due to their low ω-6–ω-3 ratio. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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14 pages, 425 KiB  
Article
Selection of Producer of α-Ketoglutaric Acid from Ethanol-Containing Wastes and Impact of Cultivation Conditions
by Svetlana V. Kamzolova and Igor G. Morgunov
Fermentation 2022, 8(8), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8080362 - 29 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1626
Abstract
Ester–aldehyde fraction (EAF) is a by-product of ethyl-alcohol-producing companies whose purification requires an expensive process. The results of this study illustrate the environmentally friendly and alternative possibility of using EAF to increase their value as substrate to produce α-ketoglutaric acid (KGA) using different [...] Read more.
Ester–aldehyde fraction (EAF) is a by-product of ethyl-alcohol-producing companies whose purification requires an expensive process. The results of this study illustrate the environmentally friendly and alternative possibility of using EAF to increase their value as substrate to produce α-ketoglutaric acid (KGA) using different yeasts. It was found that some species of the genera Babjeviella, Diutina, Moesziomyces, Pichia, Saturnispora, Sugiyamaella, Yarrowia and Zygoascus grown under thiamine deficiency accumulate KGA in the medium with an EAF as the sole carbon source. The strain Y. lipolytica VKM Y-2412 was selected as the producer. To reach the maximum production of KGA, the cultivation medium should contain 0.3 µg/L thiamine during cultivation in flasks and 2 µg/L in the fermentor; the concentration of (NH4)2SO4 should range from 3 to 6 g/L; and the optimal concentrations of Zn2+, Fe2+ and Cu2+ ions should be 1.2, 0.6 and 0.05 mg/L, respectively. EAF concentration should not exceed 1.5 g/L in the growth phase and 3 g/L in the KGA synthesis phase. At higher EAF concentrations, acetic acid was accumulated and inhibited yeast growth and KGA production. Under optimal conditions, the producer accumulated 53.8 g/L KGA with a yield (Yp/s) of 0.68 g/g substrate consumed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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11 pages, 1272 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Sugar Composition and pH Regulation in Batch and Continuous Acetone–Butanol–Ethanol Fermentation
by Miguel Capilla, Carlos Silvestre, Alejo Valles, Francisco Javier Álvarez-Hornos, Pau San-Valero and Carmen Gabaldón
Fermentation 2022, 8(5), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8050226 - 15 May 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2822
Abstract
Acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation is influenced by external conditions. This work aimed to study the influence of pH regulation on monosaccharide composition in batch and continuous fermentation processes to determine butanol production and productivity. Batch fermentations with ammonium acetate or calcium carbonate combined with [...] Read more.
Acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation is influenced by external conditions. This work aimed to study the influence of pH regulation on monosaccharide composition in batch and continuous fermentation processes to determine butanol production and productivity. Batch fermentations with ammonium acetate or calcium carbonate combined with minimum pH control (pH ≥ 4.8 or 5.1) were assessed with pure xylose and glucose/xylose mixtures (ratios of 1:1 and 3:1). Continuous two-stage fermentation was developed using plastic rings to retain the biomass. Although batch fermentations with pure xylose performed better without active minimum pH control with both buffers, minimum pH control was necessary to metabolize xylose in the presence of glucose. Xylose uptake was favored by the use of calcium carbonate and pH ≥ 5.1 at a ratio of 1:1, while ammonium acetate and a pH ≥ 4.8 was the best option for a 3:1 ratio. The best butanol production and productivity values with sugar mixtures in batch reactors were 8.8 g L−1 and 0.61 g L−1 h−1 with an ammonium acetate pH ≥ 4.8 (ratio 3:1). The glucose/xylose ratio combined with pH regulation thus modulated xylose metabolism and solvent production in batch modes. Immobilized cells combined with operating at D = 0.333 h−1 and pH regulation increased butanol productivity almost fourfold up to 2.4 ± 0.2 g L−1 h−1. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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20 pages, 1876 KiB  
Article
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Conversions of Olive Mill Wastewater-Based Media by Pleurotus pulmonarius Cultures
by Ilias Diamantis, Eirini-Maria Melanouri, Marianna Dedousi, Ioanna Panagopoulou, Seraphim Papanikolaou, Nikolaos G. Stoforos and Panagiota Diamantopoulou
Fermentation 2022, 8(3), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8030129 - 16 Mar 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2977
Abstract
Pleurotus pulmonarius mushroom was cultivated on liquid cultures with olive mill wastewaters (OMWs) of initial phenolic compound concentrations of 0 (control), 1, 2 and 3 g/L and glucose at initial concentrations of 40 and 60 g/L. The ability of the fungus to grow [...] Read more.
Pleurotus pulmonarius mushroom was cultivated on liquid cultures with olive mill wastewaters (OMWs) of initial phenolic compound concentrations of 0 (control), 1, 2 and 3 g/L and glucose at initial concentrations of 40 and 60 g/L. The ability of the fungus to grow on media containing toxic compounds enriched with glucose was assessed through biomass production, glucose consumption, polysaccharide (IPS) accumulation and total cellular lipids biosynthesis, while the total phenolic compounds (TPC) and antioxidant component monitoring were also assessed during a 43-day fermentation. An analysis of the total simple sugar composition of IPS and the total fatty acid composition of lipids was performed. The phenolic reduction and media decolorization were also monitored. Results showed that the addition of glucose in OMW-based media had a positive effect on biomass, IPS and lipid production and increased the unsaturated fatty acids and TPC concentration. The maximum recorded values were the following: biomass 32.76 g/L, IPS 4.38 g/L (14.70%, w/w in dry weight), lipids 2.85 g/L (11.69%, w/w in dry weight). The mycelial lipids were unsaturated and dominated by linoleic acid, whereas IPS were composed mainly of glucose. Significant phenolic compound reduction (87–95%) and color removal (70–85%) occurred. Results strongly suggest the potentiality of P. pulmonarius utilization in the OMW treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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22 pages, 1358 KiB  
Article
Valorization of a Pyrolytic Aqueous Condensate and Its Main Components for L-Malic Acid Production with Aspergillus oryzae DSM 1863
by Christin Kubisch and Katrin Ochsenreither
Fermentation 2022, 8(3), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8030107 - 28 Feb 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2873
Abstract
Pyrolytic aqueous condensate (PAC) might serve as a cost-effective substrate for microbial malic acid production, as it is an unused side stream of the fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass that contains acetol and acetate as potential carbon sources. In the present study, shake [...] Read more.
Pyrolytic aqueous condensate (PAC) might serve as a cost-effective substrate for microbial malic acid production, as it is an unused side stream of the fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass that contains acetol and acetate as potential carbon sources. In the present study, shake flask cultures were performed to evaluate the suitability of acetol and its combination with acetate as substrates for growth and L-malate production with the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae. Acetol concentrations of up to 40 g/L were shown to be utilized for fungal growth. In combination with acetate, co-metabolization of both substrates for biomass and malate formation was observed, although the maximum tolerated acetol concentration decreased to 20 g/L. Furthermore, malate production on PAC detoxified by a combination of rotary evaporation, overliming and activated carbon treatment was studied. In shake flasks, cultivation using 100% PAC resulted in the production of 3.37 ± 0.61 g/L malate, which was considerably improved by pH adjustment up to 9.77 ± 0.55 g/L. A successful scale-up to 0.5-L bioreactors was conducted, achieving comparable yields and productivities to the shake flask cultures. Accordingly, fungal malate production using PAC was successfully demonstrated, paving the way for a bio-based production of the acid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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15 pages, 4350 KiB  
Article
Enrichment of Pistachio Shell with Olive Mill Waste or Lathyrus clymenum Pericarp Mixtures via Solid State Fermentation with Pleurotus ostreatus
by Christos Eliopoulos, Giorgos Markou, Alexandra Kremmyda, Serkos A. Haroutounian and Dimitrios Arapoglou
Fermentation 2022, 8(2), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8020059 - 29 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2534
Abstract
The study herein concerns the application of the solid-state fermentation (SSF) bioprocess of agro-industrial wastes as a means to improve their nutritional composition, targeting their utilization as proteinaceous animal feed. The fermentation outcome resulted from the mixtures of Olive Mill Stone Waste (OMSW) [...] Read more.
The study herein concerns the application of the solid-state fermentation (SSF) bioprocess of agro-industrial wastes as a means to improve their nutritional composition, targeting their utilization as proteinaceous animal feed. The fermentation outcome resulted from the mixtures of Olive Mill Stone Waste (OMSW) with Pistachio Shell (PS) and PS with Lathyrus clymenum pericarp (LP) at various proportions via SSF initiated by P. ostreatus. The addition of 20% w/w of LPs to PS recorded the highest crude protein content (%) increase of 33.87% while concerning cellulose content, 50% w/w addition presented the highest value (37.68%). Concerning lignin presence, PS and its additions to OMSW recorded a reduction, the ratio of 100% w/w of PS was found to be decreased by 14.22% whereas, 20% w/w of LP additions to PS displayed an increment of 38.25%. Regarding β-glucans content, the mixture of 50% w/w of LP to PS recorded the highest value (5.19%) while 100% w/w of PS presented a vast increment exceeding 480-folds. The OMSW, PS and LP mixtures revealed their potential as supplements in animals’ diets after their nutritional upgrade through SSF. Such studies highlight the contribution to the confrontation of the unavailability of proteinaceous animal feed in the terms of a circular economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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Review

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33 pages, 2440 KiB  
Review
Food Waste to Bioethanol: Opportunities and Challenges
by Mohit Bibra, Dipayan Samanta, Nilesh Kumar Sharma, Gursharan Singh, Glenn R. Johnson and Rajesh K. Sani
Fermentation 2023, 9(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9010008 - 22 Dec 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 11971
Abstract
The increasing global population will require sustainable means to sustain life and growth. The continuous depletion and increasing wastage of the energy resources will pose a challenge for the survival of the increasing population in the coming years. The bioconversion of waste generated [...] Read more.
The increasing global population will require sustainable means to sustain life and growth. The continuous depletion and increasing wastage of the energy resources will pose a challenge for the survival of the increasing population in the coming years. The bioconversion of waste generated at different stages of the food value chain to ethanol can provide a sustainable solution to the depleting energy resources and a sustainable way to address the growing food waste issue globally. The high carbohydrate and nitrogen content in the food waste can make it an ideal alternative substrate for developing a decentralized bioprocess. Optimizing the process can address the bottleneck issues viz. substrate collection and transport, pretreatment, fermentative organism, and product separation, which is required to make the process economic. The current review focuses on the opportunities and challenges for using the food loss and waste at different stages of the food value chain, its pretreatment, the fermentation process to produce bioethanol, and potential ways to improve the process economics. The impact of substrate, fermentative organisms’ process development, downstream processing, and by-product stream to make the bioethanol production from the waste in the food value chain a commercial success are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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29 pages, 1724 KiB  
Review
Modeling the Succinic Acid Bioprocess: A Review
by Itziar A. Escanciano, Mateusz Wojtusik, Jesús Esteban, Miguel Ladero and Victoria E. Santos
Fermentation 2022, 8(8), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8080368 - 31 Jul 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5739
Abstract
Succinic acid has attracted much interest as a key platform chemical that can be obtained in high titers from biomass through sustainable fermentation processes, thus boosting the bioeconomy as a critical production strategy for the future. After several years of development of the [...] Read more.
Succinic acid has attracted much interest as a key platform chemical that can be obtained in high titers from biomass through sustainable fermentation processes, thus boosting the bioeconomy as a critical production strategy for the future. After several years of development of the production of succinic acid, many studies on lab or pilot scale production have been reported. The relevant experimental data reveal underlying physical and chemical dynamic phenomena. To take advantage of this vast, but disperse, kinetic information, a number of mathematical kinetic models of the unstructured non-segregated type have been proposed in the first place. These relatively simple models feature critical aspects of interest for the design, control, optimization and operation of this key bioprocess. This review includes a detailed description of the phenomena involved in the bioprocesses and how they reflect on the most important and recent models based on macroscopic and metabolic chemical kinetics, and in some cases even coupling mass transport. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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18 pages, 1416 KiB  
Review
Bio-Based Processes for Material and Energy Production from Waste Streams under Acidic Conditions
by Zeynep Cetecioglu, Merve Atasoy, Adam Cenian, Gaweł Sołowski, Janja Trček, Aysenur Ugurlu and Jana Sedlakova-Kadukova
Fermentation 2022, 8(3), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8030115 - 7 Mar 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3619
Abstract
The revolutionary transformation from petrol-based production to bio-based production is becoming urgent in line with the rapid industrialization, depleting resources, and deterioration of the ecosystem. Bio-based production from waste-streams is offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution. It offers several advantages, such as [...] Read more.
The revolutionary transformation from petrol-based production to bio-based production is becoming urgent in line with the rapid industrialization, depleting resources, and deterioration of the ecosystem. Bio-based production from waste-streams is offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution. It offers several advantages, such as a longer operation period, less competition for microorganisms, higher efficiency, and finally, lower process costs. In the current study, several bio-based products (organic acids, biomethane, biohydrogen, and metal leachates) produced under acidic conditions are reviewed regarding their microbial pathways, processes, and operational conditions. Furthermore, the limitations both in the production process and in the scale-up are evaluated with future recommendations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Waste Valorization into Added-Value Products)
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