Starch Bioprocessing
What is Starch Bioprocessing?
Bioprocessing is the use of biological means, such as the action of enzymes or other microorganisms, to treat various materials using a set of defined procedures. When this process is used to treat starch-based biomass, it is referred to as starch bioprocessing.
Starch is a complex carbohydrate, found in cereal crops like wheat and corn. Because starch-containing biomass forms the basis of many lubricants, fuel additives, and other biochemicals commonly sold on the market, starch bioprocessing is often used in product manufacturing, in the conversion of waste materials to useful by-products, and in the breakdown of waste materials.
Raw biomass from various organic sources, including wheat and corn, is the starting material used to make lubricants, fuel additives, and other biochemical products through bioprocessing. Because these products are commonly sold on the market, they are known as commodity biochemicals. The following steps outline the production of commodity biochemicals from a corn-based source of biomass:
1. Pretreatment – A process called corn wet milling is used to clean and treat corn raw materials before they are used as feedstocks in bioprocessing. Corn kernels are cleaned, soaked in a warm acidic liquid, and milled to produce a pulpy substance composed of corn starch, protein, and oil. Pretreatment requires little energy, and all products of this step are used. For instance, much of the pulpy substance is made into sweeteners, such as glucose and corn syrup, while the corn starch is reserved to make commodity biochemicals.
2. Hydrolysis and Bioprocessing – Hydrolysis is a general term used to describe a chemical reaction that uses water to break down a larger compound, such as starch, into two or more smaller compounds, like sugars. Traditionally, harsh acids were used to initiate or speed up hydrolysis reactions, but in starch bioprocessing, such acids have been replaced by environmentally friendly microorganisms or enzymes. Bacterial enzymes are well suited for industrial use since they are inexpensive to produce and are stable at various temperatures. In this manner, enzymes bioprocess starches into sugars, which can then be made into commodity biochemicals.
3. Further Bioprocessing – By studying how microorganisms produce particular biochemicals, scientists will be able to identify the genes that control these functions. It may be possible, then, to use recombinant DNA technology or cell fusion to introduce such genes into microorganisms and genetically engineer them to process biochemicals more effectively and efficiently. By creating better microorganisms, starch bioprocessing techniques may be improved.
How does corn starch turn into sugar?
Corn starch is made of a long repeating chain of many small sugar molecules. During a hydrolysis reaction, the links between these molecules are broken down, resulting in single units of sugar. These single units are referred to as dextrose, or corn sugar.
The use of biotechnology is essential in starch bioprocessing techniques. Such biotechnologies use microorganisms, enzymes, or other biological materials to break down starches into sugars and further process them into chemicals. Biotechnology may also be used to genetically modify these microorganisms to increase the efficiency of sugar and chemical production from starches.
Current Research Areas in Starch Bioprocessing
By studying how microorganisms produce particular biochemicals, scientists will be able to identify the genes that control these functions. It may be possible, then, to use recombinant DNA technology or cell fusion to introduce such genes into microorganisms and genetically engineer them to process biochemicals more effectively and efficiently. By creating better microorganisms, starch bioprocessing techniques may be improved.
Sustainable Development and Bioprocessing
Using microorganisms and enzymes in biochemical processing increases efficiency and decreases waste production. Biological techniques and other renewable processes, such as the use of enzymes to convert biomass resources into commodity biochemicals, must be increasingly used if biochemical production methods are to be environmentally sustainable.
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