Utilisation of winery wastewater for xanthan production in stirred tank bioreactor: Bioprocess modelling and optimisation

Production and application of xanthan gum-prospects in the dairy and plant-based milk food industry: a review

Xanthan gum (XG) is an important industrial microbial exopolysaccharide. It has found applications in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, paints and coatings, and wastewater treatment, but especially in the food industry. The thickening and stabilizing properties of XG make it a valuable ingredient in many food products. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the various potential applications of this versatile ingredient in the food industry. Especially in the plant-based food industries due to current interest of consumers in cheaper protein sources and health purposes. However, challenges and opportunities also exist, and this review aims to identify and explore these issues in greater detail. Overall, this article represents a valuable contribution to the scientific understanding of XG and its potential applications in the food industry.

Biotechnological Utilization of Agro-Industrial Residues and By-Products-Sustainable Production of Biosurfactants

The importance and interest in the efficient use and valorization of agro-industrial residues and by-products have grown due to environmental problems associated with improper disposal. Biotechnological production processes, including microbial biosurfactant production, represent a sustainable way to utilize agro-industrial residues and by-products, which are applied as substrates in these processes. Biosurfactants produced by microorganisms using renewable resources are a viable alternative to traditional petrochemical surfactants and have several potential uses in a wide range of industrial sectors due to their minimal ecotoxicity, easy biodegradability, and moderate production conditions. The common applications of biosurfactants, besides in food industry as food additives and preservatives, are in agriculture, environmental protection, the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry, wastewater treatment, the petroleum industry, etc. This review aims to summarize the comprehensive scientific research related to the use of various agro-industrial residues and by-products in the microbial production of biosurfactants, as well as to emphasize the present state and the importance of their sustainable production. Additionally, based on the available biosurfactant market analysis datasets and research studies, the current situation in science and industry and the future perspectives of microbial biosurfactant production have been discussed.

Production of Bacterial Exopolysaccharides: Xanthan and Bacterial Cellulose

Recently, degradable biopolymers have become increasingly important as potential environmentally friendly biomaterials, providing a wide range of applications in various fields. Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are biomacromolecules, which due to their unique properties have found applications in biomedicine, foodstuff, textiles, cosmetics, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, nanoelectronics, and environmental remediation. One of the important commercial polysaccharides produced on an industrial scale is xanthan. In recent years, the range of its application has expanded significantly. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is another unique EPS with a rapidly increasing range of applications. Due to the great prospects for their practical application, the development of their highly efficient production remains an important task. The present review summarizes the strategies for the cost-effective production of such important biomacromolecules as xanthan and BC and demonstrates for the first time common approaches to their efficient production and to obtaining new functional materials for a wide range of applications, including wound healing, drug delivery, tissue engineering, environmental remediation, nanoelectronics, and 3D bioprinting. In the end, we discuss present limitations of xanthan and BC production and the line of future research.

Unleashing the potential of xanthan: a comprehensive exploration of biosynthesis, production, and diverse applications

Employing aerobic fermentation, Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the genus Xanthomonas produce the high molecular weight natural heteropolysaccharide known as xanthan. It has various amounts of O-acetyl and pyruvyl residues together with D-glucosyl, D-mannosyl, and D-glucuronyl acid residues in a molar ratio of 2:2:1. The unique structure of xanthan allowed its various applications in a wide range of industries such as the food industry, pharmacology, cosmetics and enhanced oil recovery primarily in petroleum. The cultivation medium used in the manufacture of this biopolymer is critical. Many attempts have been undertaken to generate xanthan gum from agro-based and food industry wastes since producing xanthan gum from synthetic media is expensive. Optimal composition and processing parameters must also be considered to achieve an economically viable manufacturing process. There have been several attempts to adjust the nutrient content and feeding method, temperature, pH, agitation and the use of antifoam in xanthan fermentations. Various modifications in technological approaches have been applied to enhance its physicochemical properties which showed significant improvement in the area studied. This review describes the biosynthesis production of xanthan with an emphasis on the importance of the upstream processes involving medium, processing parameters, and other factors that significantly contributed to the final application of this precious polysaccharide.

Biocatalysts in Synthesis of Microbial Polysaccharides: Properties and Development Trends

Polysaccharides synthesized by microorganisms (bacterial cellulose, dextran, pullulan, xanthan, etc.) have a set of valuable properties, such as being antioxidants, detoxifying, structuring, being biodegradable, etc., which makes them suitable for a variety of applications. Biocatalysts are the key substances used in producing such polysaccharides; therefore, modern research is focused on the composition and properties of biocatalysts. Biocatalysts determine the possible range of renewable raw materials which can be used as substrates for such synthesis, as well as the biochemistry of the process and the rate of molecular transformations. New biocatalysts are being developed for participating in a widening range of stages of raw material processing. The functioning of biocatalysts can be optimized using the following main approaches of synthetic biology: the use of recombinant biocatalysts, the creation of artificial consortia, the combination of nano- and microbiocatalysts, and their immobilization. New biocatalysts can help expand the variety of the polysaccharides’ useful properties. This review presents recent results and achievements in this field of biocatalysis.

Utilization of waste glycerol for the production of biocontrol agents nigericin and niphimycin by Streptomyces hygroscopicus: bioprocess development

Search for more environment-friendly methods for controlling plant diseases that would contribute to the goal of sustainability in agriculture is in focus. In the present study, the potential of Streptomyces hygroscopicus isolated from soil sample in the production of biocontrol agents, nigericin and niphimycin, effective against Alternaria alternata storage apple pathogen was examined. Also, modelling and optimization of medium composition for biocontrol agent biosynthesis was performed. The results showed that the optimum amount of C₃H₈O₃, (NH₄)₂SO₄ and K₂HPO₄ in the medium for Streptomyces hygroscopicus biosynthesis is 20, 0.25 and 1.46 g/L, respectively. Scale-up and validation of the obtained results performed in the 3 L laboratory-scale bioreactor showed that on the optimized medium at an aeration rate of 0.7 vvm and an agitation speed of 200 rpm, produced nigericin and niphimycin, showed high activity. Under the same conditions, cultivation of S. hygroscopicus was performed in a 7 L laboratory bioreactor in a medium with waste glycerol instead of pure glycerol. Results showed that the methanol extract of S. hygroscopicus cultivation liquid, containing nigericin and niphimycin, was high effective against two Alternaria isolates. This was confirmed in vitro by obtaining large inhibition zone diameters on A. alternata KA10 (47 mm) and T1Jg₃ (44.33 mm) isolates. After successful in vitro analysis, in planta testing was performed. It was found that necrosis diameters that were measured on artificially inoculated apple fruits with A. alternata compared to necrosis diameter measured on untreated, control fruits, were 4.47 and 3.56 times smaller.

Design of nutrient gas-phase bioreactors: a critical comprehensive review

To reach an efficient and economical gas-phase bioreactor is still one of the most critical challenges in biotechnology engineering. The numerous advantages of gas-phase bioreactors (GPBs) as well as disadvantages of these bioreactors should be exactly recognized, and efforts should be made to eliminate these defects. The first step in upgrading these bioreactors is to identify their types and the results of previous research. In the present work, a summary of the studies carried out in the field of cultivation in these bioreactors, their classification, their components, their principles and relations governing elements, modeling them, and some of their inherent engineering aspects are presented. Literature review showed that inoculation of shoots, roots, adventurous roots, callus, nodal explants, anther, nodal segment, somatic embryo, hairy roots, and fungus is reported in 15, 2, 2, 2, 3, 2, 1, 1, 37, and 5 cases, respectively.

Wastewater in the food industry: Treatment technologies and reuse potential

Water is the most extensively used raw material in the food and beverage industry. This industrial sector has a negative impact on the environment and economy as a result of rising water demand and wastewater production. With the increasing scarcity of drinking water, the reuse of wastewater streams has become an important economic and ecological concern. Therefore, the optimisation of water consumption and wastewater reuse in the food industry is essential. On the other hand, several countries limit the reuse of wastewater because of legal curtailment, public health and safety concerns. This represents a major challenge for both industries and administrations due to the technical complexity and financial costs involved. The present review aims at addressing the key issues related to water consumption, wastewater generation, treatment and successful implementation cases of water reuse in the food and beverage industry. Moreover, the various case studies of already employed technologies for the food industry wastewater treatment and reuse have been analysed for their performance. Also, this review reveals future research on the application of other innovative technologies such as ultraviolet irradiation and micro electrolysis. However, the successful implementation of reuse strategies is associated with the holistic evaluation of local factors such as governmental incentives, social acceptance and legislation harmonisation related to the cost, risks, and environmental performance.

An Overview on Sustainability in the Wine Production Chain

Despite the great relevance of sustainable development, the absence of a shared approach to sustainable vitiviniculture is evident. This review aimed to investigate sustainability along the entire wine chain, from primary production to the finished wine, with specific attention to three key dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic) and relating measures. Therefore, it was decided to: investigate the ways in which sustainability is applied in the various stages of the production chain (wine growing, wineries, distribution chain, and waste management); analyse the regulations in force throughout the world and the main labelling systems; provide numerical information on sustainable grapes and wines; study the objective quality of sustainable wines and that perceived by consumers, considering that it affects their willingness to pay. The research highlighted that rules and regulations on organic production of grapes and wines are flanked by several certification schemes and labelling systems. Although sustainable wines represent a niche in the market, in recent years, there has been an increase in vineyards conducted with sustainable (mainly organic and biodynamic) methods, and a consequent increase in the production of sustainable wines both in traditional and emerging producing countries. Although (or perhaps precisely for this reason) no significant differences in quality are found among sustainable and conventional wines, consumers are willing to pay a premium for sustainably produced wines. This finding should encourage wineries to both put in place environmental activities and intensify their communication.

Bio-synthesis of food additives and colorants-a growing trend in future food

Food additives and colorants are extensively used in the food industry to improve food quality and safety during processing, storage and packing. Sourcing of these molecules is predominately through three means: extraction from natural sources, chemical synthesis, and bio-production, with the first two being the most utilized. However, growing demands for sustainability, safety and "natural" products have renewed interest in using bio-based production methods. Likewise, the move to more cultured foods and meat alternatives requires the production of new additives and colorants. The production of bio-based food additives and colorants is an interdisciplinary research endeavor and represents a growing trend in future food. To highlight the potential of microbial hosts for food additive and colorant production, we focus on current advances for example molecules based on their utilization stage and bio-production yield as follows: (I) approved and industrially produced with high titers; (II) approved and produced with decent titers (in the g/L range), but requiring further engineering to reduce production costs; (III) approved and produced with very early stage titers (in the mg/L range); and (IV) new/potential candidates that have not been approved but can be sourced through microbes. Promising approaches, as well as current challenges and future directions will also be thoroughly discussed for the bioproduction of these food additives and colorants.

Sustainability of Wine Production

Wine production is one of the most important agricultural activities around the world. The production of wine involves the use of a large number of valuable resources, such as water, fertilizers, and other organic products. Moreover, it produces a large amount of wastewater and organic waste that must be treated adequately to avoid contaminating the areas of production. The nature of the waste produced depends very closely on the specific vinification procedures, which also affect the physical–chemical properties of the residual material generated, whose characteristics determine its subsequent use and even condition the subsequent specific recovery circuit in which can be integrated.