Fermentation processes with reduced foaming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016145647-A1
Application number	US-201414900085-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2014
Priority date	Jun 20, 2013
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to processes of producing a fermentation product from readily fermentable sugar-material in a fermentation vat comprising a fermentation medium, comprising: feeding the readily fermentable sugar-material into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of fermenting organism; fermenting the readily fermentable sugar material into a desired fermentation product, wherein protease is added during or after feeding of the readily fermentable sugar-material into fermentation vat or during fermentation of the readily fermentable sugar-material into the desired fermentation product. The invention also related to the use of protease for reducing foaming in the fermentation yells generating by the fermenting organism during fermentation of the readily fermentable sugar-material.

First claim

1 . A process of producing a fermentation product from readily fermentable sugar-material in a fermentation vat comprising a fermentation medium using a fermenting organism, comprising
i) feeding the readily fermentable sugar material into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of fermenting organism; ii) fermenting the readily fermentable sugar material into a desired fermentation product,
wherein a protease is added
a) before, during and/or after feeding in step i), and/or
b) during fermentation in step ii).

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the readily fermentable sugar material is feed into the fermentation vat as a feeding stream.

3 . The process of claim 2 , wherein the protease is mixed with the feeding stream of the readily fermentable sugar-material.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the protease is mixed with the feeding stream of readily fermentable sugar-material before feeding step i).

5 . The process of claim 1 wherein the readily fermentable sugars-material is selected from the group consisting of sugar cane juice, sugar cane molasses, sweet sorghum, sugar beets, and mixture thereof.

6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the fermenting organism is yeast, such as foaming yeast, e.g., from a strain of the genus Saccharomyces , such as a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae , especially a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisae generating foam when fermented.

7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the fermenting organisms are recycled after fermentation in step ii).

8 . The process of claim 6 , wherein the fermenting organisms, such as foaming yeast, are collected after fermentation in step ii), acid washed, and recycled to the fermentation vat.

9 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the protease is selected from the group of serine proteases, metalloproteases, and aspartic acid proteases.

10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the protease is capable of cutting cell wall protein, in particular mannoprotein, on the surface of the fermenting organism, such as foaming yeast, in particular Saccharomyces cerevisae yeast and/or is capable of hydrolyzing protein, in particular mannoprotain, in fermented readily fermentable sugar material such as fermented molasses (wine).

11 . The process of claim 1 wherein the protease is a serine protease, such as a protease derived from a strain of Pyrococcus , preferably a strain of Pyrococcus furiosus.

12 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the protease is a serine protease, such as a serine peptidase family S53 protease, such as a family S53 protease derived from a strain of Meripilus , preferably a strain of Meripilus giganteus , such as of Meripilus giganteus Protease 3.

13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the readily fermentable sugar-material substrate is not containing polysaccharide, such as starch and/or cellulose/hemicellulose.

14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the desired fermentation product is produced from readily fermentable sugar material by fermentation in a fermentation vat, the process comprises adding protease to the readily fermentable sugar material before feeding; feeding the protease-containing readily fermentable sugar material into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of fermenting organisms; fermenting the readily fermentable sugar material into the desired fermentation product.

15 . The process of claim 1 , wherein ethanol is produced in a batch, fed batch, semi-continuous or continuous fermentation process in a fermentation vat comprising sugar cane molasses, comprising adding protease to the sugar cane molasses before feeding; feeding the protease-containing sugar cane molasses into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of Saccharomyces cerevisae yeast; and fermenting the sugar cane molasses into ethanol.

16 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the desired fermentation product is produced from readily fermentable sugar material by fermentation in a fermentation vat, wherein the process comprises: feeding readily fermentable sugar material into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of fermenting organisms; feeding protease into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of readily fermentable sugars and fermenting organisms before fermentation; fermenting the readily fermentable sugar material into the desired fermentation product.

17 . The process of claim 1 , wherein ethanol is produced in a batch or fed batch fermentation process in a fermentation vat comprising sugar cane molasses, wherein the process comprises: feeding sugar cane molasses into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of Saccharomyces cerevisae yeast; feeding protease, preferably serine protease, into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of Saccharomyces cerevisae yeast and the sugar cane molasses before fermentation; fermenting the sugar cane molasses into ethanol.

18 . The process of claim 1 wherein the desired fermentation product is produced from readily fermentable sugar material by fermentation in a fermentation vat, wherein the process comprises: feeding readily fermentable sugar material into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of fermenting organisms; adding protease into the fermentation vat during fermention of the readily fermentable sugar-material into the desired fermentation product.

19 . The process of claim 1 , wherein ethanol is produced as a batch, fed batch, semi-continuous or continuous fermentation process in a fermentation vat comprising sugar cane molasses, wherein the process comprises: feeding sugar cane molasses into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of Saccharomyces cerevisae yeast; adding protease, in particular serine protease, into the fermentation vat during fermention of the sugar cane molasses into ethanol.

20 . The process of claim 1 , comprising
i) feeding the readily fermentable sugar material into the fermentation vat comprising a slurry of fermenting organism; ii) fermenting the readily fermentable sugar material into a desired fermentation product,
wherein feeding of the readily fermentable sugar-material is done by introducing a feeding stream into the fermentation vat; wherein
protease is mixed with the feeding stream before in step i); or
protease is added to fermentation vat after feeding.

21 . The process of claim 20 , wherein the protease is Pyrococcus furiosus protease or Meripilus giganteus protease 3.

22 . (canceled)

23 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Novozymes As

Inventors

• De Oliveira Lino Felipe Senne
• Basso Thiago O
• Nymand-Grarup Soren
• Do Nascimento Camila

Classifications

• C12N9/52

  derived from bacteria {or Archaea} · CPC title

• C12N1/34

  Processes using foam culture · CPC title

• C12P7/06 Primary

  Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage · CPC title

• Y02E50/10

  Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel · CPC title