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CEB wants to use a microorganism to make flavour production more Sustainable

Could a single filamentous fungus transform the food and cosmetics industries, making them more environmentally friendly and economically competitive? Work carried out by scientists from the Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB) at the University of Minho has been analysing the use of a microorganism to produce natural flavours from simple sugars obtained from food industry waste, opening the door to a greener future. The main results of the research project behind this innovation were presented at the 1st Symposium on Bioproduction of Natural Flavours and Fragrances, which took place on 13 September at the University of Minho.

Currently, the production of natural flavourings (lactones) is achieved through the chemical synthesis of polluting raw materials from fossil fuels, also giving rise to mixtures with a low level of purity. The fungus used in this work – Ashbya gossypii (or Eremothecium gossypii) – is already used industrially to manufacture vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – which represents a successful case of replacing chemical processes with microbial production. Now, this same microorganism has been shown to be able to produce lactones directly from simple sugars such as glucose or sucrose.

It should also be noted that the ESSEntial Project also stands out for its optimisation of all stages of the production process, from improving the microorganism responsible for flavour synthesis through genetic engineering, to identifying and optimising the conditions for the sustainable production of the compounds. So far, it has been possible to increase the production of lactones by around 5 times compared to the highest production reported before the start of the project.

But that’s not all: an increase in the scale of production is also being analysed with a view to optimising the industrial implementation of the process. Different genetic strategies that could improve production continue to be tested and larger-scale reactors are being used, which will make it possible to fine-tune both the performance of the microorganism and the fermentation conditions. Techno-economic and environmental studies of the developed process are also planned.

In short, the work produced by CEB researchers is in line with the objectives of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda, proposing a paradigm shift by reallocating chemical processes to bioprocesses, thus accelerating the transition from linear to circular economies. Not only does it show that it is possible to increase the production of fundamental compounds – lactones – for two industries with a major impact on the daily lives of citizens, but it also gives new life to industrial surpluses.

More info: https://www.ceb.uminho.pt/Projects/Details/6230