Search Results (2,080)

Modern agriculture generates large amounts of straw, thus posing significant residue management challenges. In this context, traditional disposal methods such as residue incineration can cause severe environmental harm. From a circular economy perspective, rice and wheat straw are valuable lignocellulosic resources from which high-value bioproducts can be derived, including xylooligosaccharides (XOS). Efficient conversion of this biomass depends on the enzymatic degradation of xylan, the main hemicellulose in cereal straw. In this study, four GH10 endoxylanases were evaluated, of which X11 and its hybrid variant X11C2 showed the best performance, particularly at pH 9.0. X11 showed robustness under harsh conditions and a tendency to release short sugars such as xylose and xylobiose. Both rice and wheat straw exhibited partial saccharification, but wheat straw released higher amounts of soluble sugars, indicating a higher susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis. Given the growing interest in XOS as prebiotics with multiple health benefits, the enzymatic hydrolysis of low-cost agricultural residues—supported by appropriate pretreatment—represents a promising and sustainable strategy for XOS production. Full article

This study evaluates fungal-assisted extraction by solid-state fermentation (FAE-SSF) as a green alternative for recovering phenolic compounds from Moringa oleifera leaves and compares it with conventional maceration, focusing on their effects on antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. FAE-SSF was carried out using Aspergillus niger, and phenolic compounds were quantified as total polyphenols (hydrolysable and condensed tannins), followed by purification and characterization by HPLC-ESI-MS. Biological activities were assessed through antibacterial, antifungal, and DPPH assays. FAE-SSF increased total phenolic content to 20.3 ± 1.7 mg TP/g dry basis at 96 h, representing a 1.53-fold increase compared to maceration (13.3 ± 0.3 mg TP/g db at 24 h). However, maceration showed higher productivity due to shorter extraction time. FAE-SSF extracts exhibited improved antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, while no activity was observed against Shigella sp., and antifungal activity was lower compared to maceration. Antioxidant activity was also reduced in FAE-SSF extracts (39 ± 7%) compared to maceration (71 ± 4%). HPLC-ESI-MS analysis revealed that maceration preserved a greater diversity of phenolic compounds, whereas FAE-SSF induced biotransformation and reduction of key flavonoids. These results indicate that FAE-SSF enhances phenolic recovery but alters chemical composition and bioactivity, highlighting the importance of process optimization depending on the desired functional properties. Full article

Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) has been widely studied as an integrated route for converting biomass into biofuels and bioproducts, yet most quantitative modeling work has focused on ethanol as a single response. Because CBP systems can generate multiple products and co-products, this study develops a literature-derived benchmark for multi-product CBP modeling using a standardized dataset assembled from published endpoint experiments. Product prediction is formulated as both an observed-only product-wise problem and a joint multi-output problem, allowing direct comparison under study-aware grouped validation. The modeling space integrates biomass composition, pretreatment descriptors, microbial and consortium characteristics, reactor information, operating conditions, and engineered categorical descriptors of feedstock, pretreatment family, and process configuration. Predictive performance was strongly product-dependent and was shaped by target support and missing-label structure. The observed-only product-wise formulation consistently outperformed the joint missing-as-zero multi-output strategy, indicating that naive zero-filling of unreported products is not well suited to sparse literature-derived CBP data. Among the evaluated products, butanol showed the clearest predictive signal, ethanol was only moderately learnable, and the sparsest co-products remained too weakly supported for strong quantitative inference. Overall, this study provides a benchmark for multi-product CBP modeling and clarifies both the potential and the current limitations of literature-derived data for broader data-driven biorefinery analysis. Full article

The present study examined for the first time the effect of native yeasts on the fermentation of artisanal Spondias purpurea L., wine produced in Santa Elena, Ecuador. To achieve this goal, three inoculation strategies were compared: a mixed culture containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida spp. (CLX), commercial S. cerevisiae (CL), and a spontaneous fermentation without added inoculum (SL). Five yeast isolates were identified from the fermentations, four belonging to Candida spp. and one to Kloeckera spp., using microbiological and biochemical methods. The CLX treatment showed the greatest yeast proliferation on PDA plates (2.7 × 10⁶ CFU/mL) and yielded the highest levels of higher alcohols, while the CL treatment produced the highest ethanol (3.72% ABV) and glycerol content (0.46%). All treatments were free of total and fecal coliforms, and their pH values (2.49–2.56) satisfied the requirements of the current Ecuadorian standard for wine production NTE INEN 374. Residual glucose content was specifically quantified using an enzymatic colorimetric (GOD-POD) assay, confirming the dry character of the wines. Molecular analysis of the final preparation obtained from the variant corresponding to the spontaneous fermentation without inoculum (SL) confirmed the presence of Hanseniaspora spp. (Kloeckera spp.), Diutina rugosa (C. rugosa), C. zeylanoides and Pichia kudriavzevii, after the obtained PCR amplicons using ITS1 and ITS4 were subjected to a blast analysis. Sensory evaluation by panelists (n = 15) favored the CLX wine, particularly for aroma and flavor attributes. The final glucose content reached a low value of 0.28 g/L, indicative of an extremely dry wine, with almost no fermentable sugar. Due to the lack of information related to wines produced from Spondias purpurea L., this study could contribute to a better understanding of the biological behavior and biodiversity of the microorganisms present in this fermentation process. These findings will help to improve wine regionality production, supporting the potential application of native regional yeasts in Spondias purpurea L. wine biotechnology. Full article

Pistachio hull (PH) is the largest by-product of the pistachio industry. It contains high levels of phenolic compounds, which have antioxidant properties and promote health. However, PH can accumulate during harvesting, potentially resulting in environmental pollution. This study aimed to optimize the operational conditions for conventional solvent extraction (CSE) and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) of phenolic compounds from PH using response surface methodology (RSM). The extracts obtained under optimal conditions for the two extraction techniques were compared. The highest values of phenolic recovery (9.92 ± 0.09 g gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g dried matter (DM)) and radical-scavenging activity for α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (IC50 = 0.16 ± 0.00 mg/mL) were achieved by the extract obtained by ASE (23% ethanol in water, 180 °C, 15 min). Regarding individual phenolic compounds, gallic acid accounted for 35.7–48.1% of the total phenolic compounds contained in the PH extracts, followed by 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid. The findings of this study demonstrate for the first time that PH can be valorized by ASE using eco-friendly solvents, obtaining extracts with a high phenolic content, reducing waste and promoting the bioeconomy development. Full article

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly γ-linolenic acid, are recognized for their therapeutic and nutritional properties. Zygomycetes, such as Cunninghamellaelegans, represent a promising microbial platform for sustainable gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) production as an alternative to conventional sources. Despite this potential, the immunomodulatory activity of metabolites from C. elegans has not been previously explored. In this study, C. elegans was cultivated on hydrolysates from discarded residues of Pleurotus spp. cultures (DRPC-HL), optimized to release assimilable compounds, promoting valorization of low-value biomass within a circular bioeconomy. Dry mycelial biomass, lipid-free biomass, and intracellular lipids from these cultures, alongside previously reported C. elegans cultures grown under nitrogen-excess (N-Xs) and nitrogen-limited (N-Lim) conditions, were tested on THP-1-derived macrophages, under lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory conditions. Following in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, dry biomass and lipid-free dry biomass fractions upregulated the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL10 and downregulated IL1B and TNF, particularly from N-Xs and DRPC-HL cultures. Lipids mainly enhanced IL10 expression, especially when derived from N-Xs cultures. No changes were observed in upstream regulators (TLR2, TLR4, NFKB1, RELA), suggesting a feasible post-receptor immunomodulatory action. Overall, these findings highlight the dual value of fungal bioproducts derived from agro-industrial residues, combining sustainable bioprocessing with bioactive compound generation, supporting environmentally friendly microbial platforms for industrial applications. Full article

The limited availability of high-quality timber and the increasing demand for wood-based panels have encouraged the exploration of alternative and sustainable lignocellulosic resources. Rattan waste is abundant in Indonesia; however, its low mechanical strength and limited durability restrict its direct application in composite materials. This study investigated the effect of furfuryl alcohol (FA) modification and different adhesive systems on the performance of rattan-based particleboard. Rattan particles were immersed in FA for 24 h and used to produce particleboards (300 × 300 × 10 mm) bonded with phenol formaldehyde (PF), melamine formaldehyde (MF), and urea formaldehyde (UF) adhesives at a resin content of 12%. The boards were manufactured under controlled hot pressing conditions and conditioned for 14 days prior to testing. Furfurylation significantly improved dimensional stability by reducing moisture content, water absorption, thickness swelling, and leaching, with anti-swelling efficiency values ranging from 43.25% to 71.06%. Some selected mechanical properties, including internal bonding strength, hardness, and screw holding power, were also enhanced. However, the modification showed limited influence on the modulus of elasticity and, in some cases, reduced the modulus of rupture. Among the adhesive systems, MF-bonded boards exhibited the most balanced mechanical performance. Furfurylation also produced darker and more uniform board surfaces. These findings indicate that furfurylated rattan particleboards are suitable for non-structural and decorative applications. Full article

Microbial communities inhabiting natural and anthropogenically impacted environments are exposed to diverse abiotic stressors that can influence the distribution of functional traits. However, distinguishing the processes underlying phenotypic patterns remains challenging in microbial systems, where ecological and evolutionary dynamics often overlap. In this study, we experimentally assessed the distribution of biofilm formation and plastic degradation capacity in bacterial isolates across environments characterized by different stress regimes, to evaluate whether these traits are primarily associated with environmental context rather than phylogenetic relatedness, and may therefore reflect environment-dependent phenotypic modulation on a lineage-specific functional background. Taxonomic affiliation was assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while expressed biochemical profiles were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Multivariate ordination and Partial Least Squares analyses were used to explore relationships among taxonomy, biochemical profiles, functional phenotypes, and environment of isolation. Phylogenetic signal analysis confirmed that neither trait was strongly constrained by vertical inheritance, with Blomberg’s K ≈ 0 and Fritz & Purvis’ D = 0.51, consistent with environment-driven rather than phylogenetically conserved trait distributions. Both biofilm production and plastic degradation capacity showed significant environment-dependent differences in their relative frequencies (Fisher’s exact test, biofilm: p = 5.5 × 10⁻⁵; PCL degradation: p = 2.5 × 10⁻⁴) and were not directly associated with each other (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, p = 0.45; linear model, p = 0.68). Overall, these results indicate that microbial functional traits are unevenly distributed across environments and weakly constrained by taxonomy, consistent with the contribution of multiple, non-mutually exclusive processes that remain difficult to disentangle empirically. Full article

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is a pivotal biotechnology in the circular economy, leveraging agri-food industrial waste and byproducts to produce high-value bioproducts while minimizing organic waste. By aligning with sustainability goals and zero-waste principles, SSF enables the production of enzymes, bioactive compounds, and secondary metabolites for food, agriculture, and biomedical applications. Recent advancements have optimized critical parameters, including substrate selection, culture conditions, and scalable bioreactor designs, enhancing process efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Despite progress, challenges persist in maximizing production yields and fostering industrial adoption. Addressing these hurdles, particularly through integrated environmental and techno-economic analyses, is essential to solidify SSF’s role as a sustainable and competitive bioprocessing method. This review analyzes the latest advances in SSF, including the valorization of food and agro-industrial wastes, innovative bioreactor designs, microbial engineering for more efficient strains, bioenergy production and its integration into biorefineries, and contributions to the circular bioeconomy. Thus, SSF emerges as a key technology in sustainable industrial biotechnology, offering eco-friendly alternatives and promoting a more efficient production model. Full article

Plastic manufacturing depends heavily on petroleum-derived monomers like terephthalic acid, the main component of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, the depletion of fossil resources and increasing environmental concerns have heightened the need for sustainable alternatives. Lignocellulosic biomass has emerged as a promising resource due to its renewable, abundant, and eco-friendly nature. Understanding its chemical composition enables conversion of this biomass into platform chemicals, such as 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and lactic acid, derived from cellulose and hemicellulose. These can be polymerized into bio-based plastics such as polyethylene furanoate (PEF), polylactic acid (PLA), and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), offering greener alternatives to fossil-based plastics. PEF features rigid furan rings that enhance thermal stability, mechanical strength, and barrier properties, and reduce gas permeability compared to PET. PLA is a renewable, biodegradable plastic widely used in packaging and medical applications. This review covers the chemical composition of lignocellulosic biomass cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and various pretreatment strategies, chemical, physicochemical, and physical, to overcome biomass recalcitrance and improve conversion efficiency. It also highlights recent catalytic advances in transforming cellulosic carbohydrates into bio-based plastic precursors such as FDCA and lactic acid. Lastly, this review discusses polymerization pathways for producing PEF and PLA, emphasizing their role in reducing the environmental impact of polymer manufacturing and promoting green chemistry principles. Full article

Lignocellulose represents an abundant repository of renewable carbon. Derived from various plant sources, it holds tremendous potential as a renewable and sustainable feedstock for the production of valuable chemicals and fuels. However, its solid fermentable compounds, cellulose and hemicellulose, are embedded within complex lignin structures and are therefore poorly accessible to microbial conversion. This paper describes an artificial rumen reactor (ARR) that uses anaerobic microbes from the cattle rumen to increase the release of fermentable carbon from recalcitrant biomass. We outline the development of an ARR for the efficient conversion of lignocellulosic grass into volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which are valuable precursors for the production of a range of bioproducts, including biofuels, biomaterials, and biochemicals. The ARR, a 4-L bioreactor equipped with a ceramic filtration unit, has been optimised and was operated for extended periods of continuous VFA production. Across distinct short- and long-term observation periods, and independent of the cow from which the rumen microbes originated, the bioreactor demonstrated the ability to sustain VFA production, indicating robustness and stability. At an input of 60–80 g dry grass d⁻¹, the system produced approximately 6 mol VFA per kg of dry matter input (DMI). The decoupling of the Solid Retention Time (SRT; 10 days) and the Liquid Retention Time (LRT; 0.5 days) prevented inhibition of the VFA production. The VFA profile was dominated by acetic and propionic acids, comprising 68% and 19%, respectively, with butyric acid and minor VFAs accounting for the remainder. The application of low oxygen levels (<10%) in the reactor via limited aeration did not affect the VFA yield or its profile. Full article

This study presents the first cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of T-shirt production using viscose and Lyocell fibers, benchmarked against cotton and polyester under consistent system boundaries. The analysis covers spinning, knitting, wet processing, garment assembly, and regionalized energy supply. Results show that cotton T-shirts exhibit the lowest global warming potential (14.1 kg CO₂eq/kg) but the highest water demand (2.9 m³/kg) in China. Polyester garments, although less water-intensive, contribute significantly to plastic accumulation (1.0 kg/kg shirt) compared to cellulose-based fibers (0.1 kg/kg shirt). Within man-made cellulose fibers, Lyocell generally outperforms viscose in toxicity-related categories—reducing freshwater ecotoxicity by 35% and human non-carcinogenic toxicity by 62%—thanks to its closed-loop solvent recovery. However, Lyocell also shows the highest carbon footprint (21.6 kg CO₂eq/kg) unless produced in regions with cleaner energy mixes. Regional sensitivity analysis indicates that shifting production from China to Brazil could reduce global warming impacts by up to 38%. Overall, these results highlight the trade-offs across fiber types and demonstrate the importance of both material choice and production geography in driving sustainability within textile supply chains. Full article

The microbial valorization of agro-industrial residues is a promising strategy for sustainable bioprocesses and the development of a circular bioeconomy. In this study, mixed fruit peel waste was anaerobically fermented in a stirred-tank bioreactor using Wickerhamomyces sp. UFFS-CE-3.1.2 to produce organic acids and a multifunctional enzymatic bioproduct. During fermentation, sugars decreased from 6.51 to 0.22 g L⁻¹, leading to the formation of citric acid (7.65 g L⁻¹), ethanol (3.77 g L⁻¹), glycerol (0.53 g L⁻¹), and acetic acid (0.37 g L⁻¹). The accumulation of organic acids likely imposed metabolic stress on the yeast, triggering physiological responses that mitigate oxidative stress. Consequently, the resulting enzymatic extract exhibited high lipase activity (185.63 U mL⁻¹), late catalase induction (520.97 U mL⁻¹), and stable superoxide dismutase activity (50 U mL⁻¹). This enzymatic profile indicates the formation of a stress-adapted microbial system with potential applicability in processes involving lipid hydrolysis and oxidative mechanisms. The process was conducted without supplementation of synthetic medium and operated stably in a stirred-tank bioreactor. Overall, these results suggest a feasible microbial strategy for converting fruit waste into value-added bioproducts, contributing to the development of sustainable biotechnological processes. Full article

Carotenoids are natural pigments of high industrial value, with recognized antioxidant properties, and are widely used in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Oleaginous yeasts, such as Rhodotorula glutinis, represent a promising alternative for the sustainable production of these compounds through submerged fermentation, compared to their extraction from plant sources or chemical synthesis. This study aimed to optimize culture conditions to maximize biomass and carotenoid production in R. glutinis P4M422. To this end, the effects of various culture factors, including light, carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, temperature, pH, and glycerol addition, on cell growth and pigment biosynthesis were evaluated. The results showed that agitation speed and C/N ratio are key variables in system performance, significantly influencing both growth and carotenoid accumulation. Under the established optimal conditions (210 rpm, C/N ratio of 50, red light, and 30 °C), a maximum volumetric yield of 343.1 mg/L and a productivity of 4.8 mg/L/h were achieved, representing a substantial improvement in process efficiency. These values position the R. glutinis P4M422 strain as a competitive alternative for the biotechnological production of carotenoids. Taken together, these findings confirm the efficiency of submerged culture as a platform for obtaining high-value-added biopigments and reinforce the potential of microbial fermentation systems as a sustainable, scalable, and controllable strategy for their production. Full article

Probiotics are known to improve gut microbiota balance, enhance food digestion, and support overall health. Among these, Bacillus species are particularly promising due to their safety, spore-forming ability, environmental resilience, and diverse enzymatic activities. However, most Bacillus probiotics used in industry are of terrestrial origin, leaving marine-derived strains largely unexplored. Utilising the untapped potential of marine microbial biomass, this study presents a multi-stage methodology for identifying and evaluating marine-derived Bacillus strains with probiotic potential. A structured screening pipeline was applied to 67 microbial isolates from the Great Barrier Reef sponges. Initial selection focused on essential probiotic characteristics, including growth, stability, safety, and survival under gastrointestinal conditions. Strains meeting these criteria were then assessed for desirable properties, including digestive enzyme production and pathogen inhibition. Using this workflow, three marine-derived Bacillus strains were identified as potential probiotics, one of which demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity against Salmonella enterica at 5 and 10 mg/mL (p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate the capability of marine-associated Bacillus as novel bioproducts with functional antimicrobial properties. Full article