Publications

Bedő, S.; Fehér, A.; Khunnonkwao, P.; Jantama, K.; Fehér, C. Agronomy 2021, 11, 79.

Crop residues can serve as low-cost feedstocks for microbial production of xylitol which offers many advantages over the commonly used chemical process. However, enhancing the efficiency of xylitol fermentation is still a barrier to industrial implementation. In this study, the effects of oxygen transfer rate (OTR) (1.1, 2.1, 3.1 mmol O₂/(L*h)) and initial xylose concentration (30, 55, 80 g/L) on xylitol production of Candida boidinii NCAIM Y.01308 on xylose medium were investigated and optimized by response surface methodology, and xylitol fermentations were performed on xylose-rich hydrolysates of wheat bran and rice straw. High values of maximum xylitol yields (58%-63%) were achieved at low initial xylose concentration (20-30 g/L) and OTR values (1.1-1.5 mmol O₂/(L*h)). The highest value for maximum xylitol productivity (0.96 g/(L*h)) was predicted at 71 g/L initial xylose and 2.7 mmol O₂/(L*h) OTR. Maximum xylitol yield and productivity obtained on wheat bran hydrolysate were 60% and 0.58 g/(L*h), respectively. On detoxified and supplemented hydrolysate of rice straw, maximum xylitol yield and productivity of 30% and 0.19 g/(L*h) were achieved. This study revealed the terms affecting the xylitol production by C. boidinii and provided validated models to predict the achievable xylitol yields and productivities under different conditions. Efficient pre-treatments for xylose-rich hydrolysates from rice straw and wheat bran were selected. Fermentation using wheat bran hydrolysate and C. boidinii under optimised condition is proved as a promising method for biotechnological xylitol production.

Moreno, A.D.; Tomás-Pejó, E.; Olsson, L.; Geijer, C. Energies 2020, 13(20):5363.

The present study describes the isolation of the novel strain Candida intermedia CBS 141442 and investigates the potential of this microorganism for the conversion of lignocellulosic streams. Different C. intermedia clones were isolated during an adaptive laboratory evolution experiment under the selection pressure of lignocellulosic hydrolysate and in strong competition with industrial, xylose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. Isolates showed different but stable colony and cell morphologies when growing in a solid agar medium (smooth, intermediate and complex morphology) and liquid medium (unicellular, aggregates and pseudohyphal morphology). Clones of the same morphology showed similar fermentation patterns, and the C. intermedia clone I5 (CBS 141442) was selected for further testing due to its superior capacity for xylose consumption (90% of the initial xylose concentration within 72 h) and the highest ethanol yields (0.25 ± 0.02 g ethanol/g sugars consumed). Compared to the well-known yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis, the selected strain showed slightly higher tolerance to the lignocellulosic-derived inhibitors when fermenting a wheat straw hydrolysate. Furthermore, its higher glucose consumption rates (compared to S. stipitis) and its capacity for glucose and xylose co-fermentation makes C. intermedia CBS 141442 an attractive microorganism for the conversion of lignocellulosic substrates, as demonstrated in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation processes.

E. Tomás-Pejó, S. Morales-Palomo, C. González-Fernández. Bioresource Technology Volume 323, March 2021, 124612

Microbial lipids have recently drawn a lot of attention as renewable sources for biochemicals production. Strong research efforts have been addressed to efficiently use organic wastes as carbon source for microbial lipids, which would definitively increase the profitability of the production process and boost a bio-based economy. This review compiles interesting traits of oleaginous microorganisms and highlights current trends on microbial- and process-oriented approaches to maximize microbial oil production from inexpensive substrates like lignocellulosic sugars, volatile fatty acids and glycerol. Furthermore, downstream processes such as cell harvesting or lipid extraction, that are decisive for the cost-effectiveness of the process, are discussed. To underpin microbial oils within the so demanded circular economy, associated challenges, recent advances and possible industrial applications that are also identified in this review.