Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #182842
Title: FERMENTATIVE PRODUCTION OF BIOPOLYMERS AND BIOSURFACTANTS FROM AGRICULTURAL FEEDSTOCKS

Author
item Solaiman, Daniel
item Ashby, Richard - Rick
item Foglia, Thomas
item Marmer, William

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/26/2005
Publication Date: 10/19/2005
Citation: Solaiman, D., Ashby, R.D., Foglia, T.A., Marmer, W.N. 2005. Fermentative production of biopolymers and biosurfactants from agricultural feedstocks [abstract]. International Symposium on Biocatalysis and Biotechnology-Functional Foods and Industrial Products. p. 67.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Animal fats and vegetable oils are major agricultural commodities produced globally at hundreds of millions of metric tons per year. Because of their high carbon and energy contents, fats and oils have found new uses as renewable feedstocks for fermentation processes. Separately, the various allied industries associated with the fats and oils processing and utilization generate coproduct streams that are rich in fermentable substances and can thus serve as low cost fermentative feedstocks. Examples are soy molasses from the manufacture of soy isolates and concentrates, and the glycerol-rich coproduct stream from biodiesel production. Our laboratory has researched the use of these agricultural triacylglycerols and coproducts as feedstocks for the fermentative production of biodegradable polymer (i.e., poly(hydroxyalkanoates, PHA) and biosurfactants (i.e., sophorolipids, SL; and rhamnolipids, RL). We develop a biotechnology platform anchored on fermentation manipulation and genetic modification to bioconvert fats, oils and coproducts into PHA, SL and RL. Using this technology platform, we demonstrate the production of tailor-made PHA, SL and RL with desired compositions and properties from the lipid-based feedstocks.