Abstract
Chemical and heat treatments are traditionally used to preserve the quality of food products. An alternative is based on the use of antimicrobials such as nisin to ensure food safety. Traditionally, nisin is produced by microbial fermentation in the exponential growth phase of Lactococcus lactis, which is a recognized starter culture in dairy products. However, its production process entails a high cost compared to its chemical-based counterparts, which reduces its competitiveness in the market. This study addresses the economic feasibility and environmental impacts of biotechnological co-production of nisin and lactic acid from three food-associated industrial waste streams: cheese whey (CW), sugar beet pulp (SBP) and corn stover (CS). To carry out the conceptual design of a process at an early stage of development, SuperPro Designer® is used as simulation tool for developing the process alternatives within an industrial approach. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology will be applied to identify the main environmental impacts associated with the production process. Based on the economic and environmental evaluation, SBP proved to be the best carbon source for the nisin production process, followed by CW. Regarding CS, this alternative should overcome the drawbacks associated with enzyme consumption and limited nisin production yield.
Highlights
Nowadays the fact that consumers perceive a product as natural is a decisive purchasing incentive
This study addresses the conceptual design and environmental im pacts of the biotechnological production of nisin from three waste streams from the food industry
Lignocellulosic residual streams are produced in large quantities in the food industry: sugar beet pulp (SBP) represents 50% of processed SB [10] while corn stover (CS), about 200 million tons are produced annually, of which a 30% is collected and the rest is discarded in the field of crop exploitation [11]
Summary
Nowadays the fact that consumers perceive a product as natural is a decisive purchasing incentive. Natural products are often mini mally processed foods. To avoid the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in food, it is necessary to add preservatives, most of which are chemicalbased and could pose a health risk. In this context, the use of natural bio-preservatives is an noteworthy alternative, within which bacteriocins play an important role, since they are not harmful to human health [1] and are odorless, tasteless and colorless, so they could be added to food products without altering their main properties [2]. By avoiding the use of chemicals and heat treat ments for food preservation, foods with better organoleptic and nutri tional properties are obtained, which is a great advantage given the growing consumer demand for products with less industrial processing and higher nutritional quality [3]
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