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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Neurospora intermedia from a traditional fermented food enables waste-to-food conversion

AbstractFungal fermentation of food and agricultural by-products holds promise for improving food sustainability and security. However, the molecular basis of fungal waste-to-food upcycling remains poorly understood. Here we use a multi-omics approach to characterize oncom, a fermented food traditionally produced from soymilk by-products in Java, Indonesia. Metagenomic sequencing of samples from small-scale producers in Western Java indicated that the fungus Neurospora intermedia dominates oncom. Further transcriptomic, metabolomic and phylogenomic analysis revealed that oncom-derived N. intermedia utilizes pectin and cellulose degradation during fermentation and belongs to a genetically distinct subpopulation associated with human-generated by-products. Finally, we found that N. intermedia grew on diverse by-products such as fruit and vegetable pomace and plant-based milk waste, did not encode mycotoxins, and could create foods that were positively perceived by consumers outside Indonesia. These results showcase the traditional significance and future potential of fungal fermentation for creating delicious and nutritious foods from readily available by-products.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Karuk Climate Resiliency Plan

Statewide, California is the hottest and driest since modern record keeping has taken place. Among the most urgent of the local dimensions of climate change in Karuk Ancestral Territory is the increased frequency of high-severity fire. The 2016 Karuk Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) outlines how these influences have created landscape conditions that hold the potential to be devastating in the face of future high-severity fire events. The project followed the format of our CVA and furthers information garnered to accomplish two primary objectives. The Karuk Tribe developed a Climate Adaptation Plan to address established vulnerabilities to Tribal traditional foods and cultural use species, Tribal program infrastructure, and Tribal management authority and political status resulting from changing conditions with a focus on increased frequency of high-intensity wildfire events within the Karuk Ancestral Territory.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Elucidating Anthracnose Resistance Mechanisms in Sorghum—A Review

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is the fifth most cultivated cereal crop in the world, traditionally providing food, feed, and fodder, but more recently also fermentable sugars for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals. The hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen Colletotrichum sublineola, the causal agent of anthracnose disease in sorghum, is prevalent in the warm and humid climates where much of the sorghum is cultivated and poses a serious threat to sorghum production. The use of anthracnose-resistant sorghum germplasm is the most environmentally and economically sustainable way to protect sorghum against this pathogen. Even though multiple anthracnose resistance loci have been mapped in diverse sorghum germplasm in recent years, the diversity in C. sublineola pathotypes at the local and regional levels means that these resistance genes are not equally effective in different areas of cultivation. This review summarizes the genetic and cytological data underlying sorghum’s defense response and describes recent developments that will enable a better understanding of the interactions between sorghum and C. sublineola at the molecular level. This includes releases of the sorghum genome and the draft genome of C. sublineola, the use of next-generation sequencing technologies to identify gene expression networks activated in response to infection, and improvements in methodologies to validate resistance genes, notably virus-induced and transgenic gene silencing approaches.

Plant Sciences↗
DOE OSTI2022

Postbiotic Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Camel Milk Intervention as Innovative Trends Against Hyperglycemia and Hyperlipidemia in Streptozotocin-Induced C57BL/6J Diabetic Mice

Diabetes is a serious disease that threatens human health worldwide. The study hypothesis is to investigate the novel trends that may aid in the prevention of diabetic complications. Camel milk was presented as traditional functional food, and Lactobacillus brevis KLDS 1.0727 and KLDS 1.0373 strains were shown to synthesize postbiotic Gamma-aminobutyric acid as a potential food additive, which can therapeutically intervene against hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in streptozotocin-induced C 57 BL/6J mice. During a four-week timeframe, body weight and postprandial blood glucose levels were monitored. Post-euthanasia, blood plasma was obtained to investigate hyperlipidemia, insulin concentrations, liver, and renal functions. The liver, pancreas, kidney, and spleen underwent histopathological examinations. The results demonstrated that KLDS 1.0727 and KLDS 1.0373 ( LAC S1 , LAC S2 ) and camel milk treatments all had a significant influence on hypoglycemic activity, as evidenced by reduced postprandial blood glucose levels. LAC S1 , LAC S2 , and camel milk therapy significantly reduced blood hypolipidemic, and some liver enzymes such as (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate transaminase) levels. Therefore, we recommend consuming camel milk regularly and expanding its use with fermented foods containing L. brevis , one of the probiotics capable of producing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as future food additives that can improve human health and reduce the prevalence of several diseases disorders.

Abdelazez, Amro↗
DOE OSTI2024

Synthesis and characterization of biobased copolyesters based on pentanediol: (2) Poly(pentylene adipate–co–terephthalate)

Traditionally, most flexible food packaging is made of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) which cannot easily be recycled, nor will it degrade in a reasonable timescale. In this work, a biobased biodegradable polyester alternative was investigated as a possible replacement for LLDPE. High molecular weight poly (pentylene adipate-co-terephthalate) with a 40/60 adipic acid/terephthalic acid mole ratio was synthesized using direct esterification and polycondensation. Glycerol and hexane-1,2,5,6-tetrol were added as branching agents to better match the structure of the LLDPE which in turn might help the ability of these materials in film-blowing. Thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties of the copolyesters were thoroughly investigated. All copolyesters had a weight-average molecular weight of over 140,000 g/mol, which is necessary for proper rheology, and were thermally stable up to 350°C. Here, the addition of branching agents led to a slight decrease in crystallinity, d-spacing, melting temperature, enthalpy of melting, stress at break, and elongation at break. However, an increase in Young's modulus and complex viscosity at high frequency were observed compared to PPeAT60 without branching agent added. Although the improved crystallinity and mechanical properties of the copolyesters made them viable for film-blowing, the slow crystallization rate creates a major challenge.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Engineered microbes for conversion of organic compounds to medium chain length alcohols and methods of use

This disclosure provides a genetically-modified bacterium from the genus Pseudomonas that comprises an exogenous nucleic acid encoding an enoyl-CoA reductase and an exogenous nucleic acid encoding an acyl-CoA reductase that produces medium chain length alcohols. The disclosure further provides methods for producing medium chain alcohols using such genetically-modified bacterium. This disclosure provides a renewable, bio-based production platform for valuable mcl-alcohols that have a wide range of industrial applications. Current production of mcl-alcohols typically occurs through the hydrogenation of plant oils and waxes. This process leads to issues of deforestation and is largely unsustainable. Utilizing waste lignin streams as the carbon source provides a more sustainable feedstock that can be generated from plant waste like corn stover. Along with this, the use of lignin avoids competition with food resources as traditional starch and sugar feedstocks.

Guss, Adam M.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Innovative Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Production with Microbial Electrochemical Technology (MET)

The project “Innovative Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Production with Microbial Electrochemical Technology (MET)” addressed food waste disposal challenges by successfully converting food waste to bioplastics (known as PHAs). The novel process created by our team of researchers from universities, national labs, and industry substantially enhanced overall carbon conversion efficiency of food waste processing (> 50%), while reducing disposal costs (> 25%). The project showed economic viability potential at community scale through pilot-scale demonstration at a relevant scale (50 L reactor volume) with more than 100 hours of PHA production using realistic conditions. The project goal was to valorize food waste by shunting traditional anaerobic digestion processing and creating a value-added PHA processing route that improves the economics and sustainability of local, community-scale, wet organic waste treatment. First, the food waste undergoes microbial-based, dark fermentation to break down the food to small carbon chains known as volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Instead of microorganisms converting the VFAs into methane using normal anaerobic digestion processing, our innovative process inhibits methane production. This preserves the produced VFAs for extraction and use by a novel Haloferax mediterranei (HM) archaea, which effectively converts the VFAs to bioplastics. The project added microbial electrochemical cells (MEC) to the dark fermentation process to enhance the VFAs produced and optimize the type of bioplastics formed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Multi-resolution, Multi-scale Modeling for Scalable Macroalgae Production

Macroalgae harvested along coastlines and in the open ocean has traditionally been used as food for human consumption, animal feed, and fertilizer. The U.S. ARPA-E MARINER Program estimates that the nation has suitable conditions and geography to produce at least 500 million dry metric tons of macroalgae per year, yielding approximately 2.7 quadrillion BTUs of energy in the form of liquid fuel, which is roughly 10% of the nation’s annual transportation energy demand. Adverse environmental effects of nutrient overload and ocean acidification may also be reduced by large-scale macroalgae cultivation in many coastal ocean regions. However, the successful deployment of large-scale marine macroalgae farms for fuel production depends on ambient hydrodynamic conditions and nutrient availability, as well as their interactions with macroalgae farm structures. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory led an ARPA-E MARINER project to develop a set of numerical modeling tools capable of simulating ocean hydrodynamic and biogeochemical processes, macroalgae trajectories for free-floating systems, macroalgae growth and biomass yields, and hydrodynamic load on macroalgae canopies and farm structures using a multi-resolution and multi-scale approach. This set of modeling tools provides a suite of information essential for system design, optimal project siting, risk analysis, and management of macroalgae production systems in the ocean. Better clarity can also help macroalgae system developers reduce deployment costs, operational risk, and potential impacts on the local marine environment.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cellulose nanofibrils-based packaging films synergistically reinforced by lignin and tea polyphenols for strawberry preservation

Developing biomass-based food packaging materials could alleviate resource scarcity and environmental pollution. Here, this study successfully fabricated cellulose nanofibrils-based packaging films synergistically reinforced by lignin and tea polyphenols for fruit preservation. Thanks to the abundant carboxyl and hydroxyl groups in modified lignin and tea polyphenol, the composite film delivered the highest tensile strength and Young’s modulus of 230.7 MPa and 11.9 GPa, respectively. The water vapor permeability (WVP) and oxygen permeability (OP) of composite film were as low as 2.53 × 10 –11 gm –1 s –1 Pa –1 and 1.69 × 10 –16 cm m –2 s–1 Pa –1 , respectively, demonstrating excellent barrier performance. Furthermore, the composite film possessed remarkable antibacterial (100 % antibacterial activity against two types of bacteria), antioxidant (DPPH free radical scavenging activity of 90 %), and UV shielding properties (impressive UV shielding rate of 99.0 %). Strawberry preservation experiments showed that these composite films could significantly extend shelf life, owing to the excellent barrier and antimicrobial properties. Our research indicated that these composite films could be promising food packaging material compared with traditional plastic and showed great application potential in fruit preservation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Multigene engineering in plants: Technologies, applications, and future prospects

The emerging bioeconomy presents a promising solution to both economic and environmental challenges. Within the bioeconomy, plants serve as a renewable, sustainable, and cost-effective source of foods, fuels, chemicals, and materials. However, traditional breeding and single-gene engineering approaches fall short in addressing complex traits (e.g., drought tolerance, disease resistance, yield, nutrient use efficiency) which are controlled by multiple genes. The complexity of plant biology often necessitates the use of multigene engineering (MGE), which involves simultaneous ectopic expression, up/down-regulation, or editing of multiple genes, to enhance plant traits relevant to the bioeconomy. These genes may be associated with distinct traits or function as components of specific metabolic and regulatory pathways. This review summarizes current technologies for MGE within the synthetic biology-driven Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) framework, detailing its four key stages: Design – gene construct development; Build – DNA assembly and plant transformation; Test – the molecular, biochemical, and physiological characterization of engineered plants; and Learn – computational modeling to refine, multiplex and iterate the process. Despite good progress in the applications of MGE in biofortification, metabolic engineering, and stress resilience, challenges remain in construct stability, coordinated gene expression, and regulatory predictability. We identified optimization paths and future directions to accelerate MGE deployment in sustainable agriculture, with possible societal benefits including reduced production costs, increased yield, and improved food and nutritional security.

AI-aided plant engineering↗
DOE OSTI2022

Membrane Carbonation for 100% Efficient Delivery of Industrial CO 2 Gases

Industrial processes generate about one quarter of all greenhouse gases emissions in the US, about 80% of which is carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Biological processes are one of the largest natural sinks for atmospheric CO 2 , but the rate of capture is limited by the low concentration in air (~0.04%). Industrial emissions have significantly higher CO 2 concentrations, ranging from 5–80% CO 2 , which can significantly increase the rate of biological CO 2 capture, including many-fold improvements for cultivating microalgae to produce food, fertilizer, and renewable fuel. However, traditional methods for delivering CO 2 to microalgae using bubbling is < 40% efficient, leading to significant residual CO 2 emissions and increased cost. This project developed the Membrane Carbonation (MC) technology to significantly improve the CO 2 delivery efficiency to microalgae from power plant flue gas, wastewater treatment plant anaerobic digesters biogas (Figure 1), and other CO 2 -containing industrial sources.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2023

From lab to table: Expanding gastronomic possibilities with fermentation using the edible fungus Neurospora intermedia

Fermentation is a powerful tool for enhancing flavor, improving sustainability, and expanding creative possibilities in the kitchen. However, most fermentations done in gastronomic contexts are restricted to a small set of readily available microbial species. Expanding beyond this limited biological diversity holds promise to unlock new gastronomic innovation. Here, we explore novel culinary applications of Neurospora intermedia, an edible fungus traditionally used in Java, Indonesia to produce the fermented food oncom. Our work demonstrates that N. intermedia can be readily used in the production of oncom-like meat alternatives with non-traditional substrates, as well as in the production of enzymes for starch-to-sugar conversion. As an example, we harness secreted N. intermedia starch-degrading enzymes to produce an amazake that has a distinct volatile aroma composition compared to traditional amazake produced with Aspergillus oryzae. In addition to providing texture and flavor, N. intermedia can be used to add an orange color to dishes due to the development of brightly colored spores and aerial mycelia. This property, along with its secreted enzymes, was utilized to create a dish for fine-dining restaurant Alchemist in Copenhagen, Denmark. Overall, the novel foods produced in this study were rated favorably in consumer trials, indicating a broad sensory appeal of N. intermedia across different culinary applications and cultural contexts. The protocols and approaches presented in this study represent a new addition to the chef's toolbox that hold promise to expand gastronomic possibilities with fermentation in restaurants and beyond.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Conversion of food waste to renewable energy: A techno-economic and environmental assessment

Increasing quantities of food waste have become a concern due to high disposal costs in landfills and high greenhouse gas emissions. With this increase in food waste generation, there is also an increasing demand for renewable natural gas to supplement traditional fossil fuel combustion and offset the impacts of climate change. Collecting food waste from landfills and turning it into renewable natural gas using anaerobic digestion could be a win-win option for both food waste disposal and renewable energy production. While some literature exists on the energy potential, economic feasibility, and environmental benefit of food waste disposal via anaerobic digestion, no existing study simultaneously evaluates the energy, economic and environmental effect of food waste to renewable energy via anaerobic digestion, especially on a plant and city scale. Further, this study is focused on the techno-economic and environmental assessment of food waste to energy via anaerobic digestion in order to fill this gap. Four anaerobic digestion pathways are considered in this study: flare, pipeline natural gas, combined heat and power, and combined cycle for efficient power generation. Using a city of 1M people the results show that renewable natural gas from food waste could supply the natural gas usage for 1.9% of residential use, 2.7% of commercial use, 1.1% of industrial use, 167.5% of the compressed natural gas vehicle fleet, 0.7% of electric power generation, or 2.5% of industrial high-temperature heating processes. All pathways except pipeline natural gas will have a positive net present value in the baseline scenario, and the pipeline natural gas pathway will become economically viable with a net present value of 31 USD/t of food waste with renewable energy credits. Lastly, all of the pathways achieve negative greenhouse gas emissions, which indicates that anaerobic digestion is a more environmentally friendly method for the handling of food waste than landfills.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Optimized production of a bioactive human recombinant protein from the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii grown at high density in a fed-batch bioreactor

Microalgae have been identified as an alternative platform to produce high-quality biomass and subsequent bioproducts, such as foods, feeds, nutritional supplements, recombinant proteins, and biofuels. Traditional biotechnological hosts for therapeutic proteins, such as the bacteria Escherichia coli and mammalian CHO cells, have long been established as the dominate platforms, but recent advances have shown that microalgae can potentially serve as an alternative platform. In the present study, we examine the potential of the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to produce a complex human recombinant protein in a high-density heterotrophic culture. The recombinant human protein, ICAM-1, was targeted for secretion to the extracellular media of the culture from cells grown in a bioreactor using a fed-batch strategy to achieve high cell density. Ultimately, this resulted in a maximum biomass titer of 40 g/L and a recombinant protein titer of 50 mg/L. The algal-produced ICAM-1 protein showed comparable bioactivity to mammalian cell culture produced ICAM-1, as measured using binding assays for its native ligand LFA-1. This work shows that C. reinhardtii is a viable option to produce complex recombinant proteins, with native biological activity, at high concentrations using a fed batch heterotrophic growth strategy.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Developing algae as a sustainable food source

Current agricultural and food production practices are facing extreme stress, posed by climate change and an ever-increasing human population. The pressure to feed nearly 8 billion people while maintaining a minimal impact on the environment has prompted a movement toward new, more sustainable food sources. For thousands of years, both the macro (seaweed and kelp) and micro (unicellular) forms of algae have been cultivated as a food source. Algae have evolved to be highly efficient at resource utilization and have proven to be a viable source of nutritious biomass that could address many of the current food production issues. Particularly for microalgae, studies of their large-scale growth and cultivation come from the biofuel industry; however, this knowledge can be reasonably translated into the production of algae-based food products. The ability of algae to sequester CO 2 lends to its sustainability by helping to reduce the carbon footprint of its production. Additionally, algae can be produced on non-arable land using non-potable water (including brackish or seawater), which allows them to complement rather than compete with traditional agriculture. Algae inherently have the desired qualities of a sustainable food source because they produce highly digestible proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, and are rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Although algae have yet to be fully domesticated as food sources, a variety of cultivation and breeding tools exist that can be built upon to allow for the increased productivity and enhanced nutritional and organoleptic qualities that will be required to bring algae to mainstream utilization. Here we will focus on microalgae and cyanobacteria to highlight the current advancements that will expand the variety of algae-based nutritional sources, as well as outline various challenges between current biomass production and large-scale economic algae production for the food market.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Utilizing data-based modeling with low life cycle GHG emissions algae biofuels for engine optimization

Aquatic microalgae are a highly promising feedstock for the production of biocrude and tailored biofuels, with distinct advantages over traditional terrestrial crops, such as reduced land use and avoidance of food production competition. However, unlocking their full potential requires the development of biofuels with low life cycle greenhouse emissions biofuels, such as algae biofuels, which can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the transportation systems without requiring a complete overhaul of existing engine technology. In this study, we employ cutting-edge data-based AI modeling techniques to optimize the performance of heavy-duty engines, with a focus on transitioning towards biofuels with low life cycle greenhouse emissions biofuels. Our methodology offers significant advantages over traditional sweep testing, enabling efficient and accurate optimization of engine performance with minimal time and resources consumption. Our findings demonstrate the potential of utilizing this approach, with up to 55% NOx emissions reductions and up to 2% reduction in fuel consumption compared to the baseline optimized point. Moving forward, we plan to utilize a 30% blend of algae biofuels with diesel fuel, with the ultimate goal of achieving up to 60% lifecycle GHG emissions. Lastly, we plan to compare the results with 100% renewable biodiesel to add an additional dimension of investigating the impact of fuel chemistry on engine optimization. Overall, this study underscores the vital importance of biofuels for reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation sector and supporting a sustainable future. By harnessing the power of data-based AI modeling with low life cycle greenhouse emissions biofuels, we can accelerate the adoption of more environmentally friendly transportation systems and reduce their impact on the planet. Our findings contribute to this transition and offer insights for developing efficient and effective strategies for addressing global climate change.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Subacute safety assessment of recombinant Lactococcus lactis on the gut microbiota of male Sprague–Dawley rats

Abstract BACKGROUND Lactococcus lactis strain pGSMT/MG1363 is a genetically modified microorganism (GMM) that constitutively expresses human metallothionein‐I fusion protein to combine with intracellular lead. Unlike traditional probiotics, pGSMT/MG1363 lacks a history of safe use in food. Administration of microorganism could influence the gut microbial community and consequently confer health benefits or cause disadvantages to the host. To date, little has been done to assess the influence of recombinant strain pGSMT/MG1363 on the stability of gut microbiota. RESULTS Liver, testis and kidney sections of male Sprague–Dawley rats orally administered pGSMT/MG1363 for 6 weeks showed normal structure and no pathological damage. There were no adverse effects on the analyzed serum biochemical parameters between the pGSMT/MG1363 group and the MG1363 group. Principal coordinate analysis showed that, compared with the MG1363 group, the 6‐week‐old fecal gut microbiota of rats fed with pGSMT/MG1363 was not significantly different (Adonis, P = 0.802). pGSMT/MG1363 treatment for 6 weeks did not significantly change the relative abundance of gut microbiota at the phylum and genus levels in comparison with MG1363 treatment. CONCLUSION Compared to the non‐GM strain MG1363 group, administration of the recombinant strain pGSMT/MG1363 for 6 weeks showed no adverse effects on the analyzed physiological parameters and gut microbial compositions of male Sprague–Dawley rats. The results suggested that, in terms of gut microbiota stability, pGSMT/MG1363 could be considered as safe as MG1363, at least for short‐term intake. Further toxicological evaluations still need to be considered before drawing a definite conclusion concerning the safe use of pGSMT/MG1363. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chen, Guowei↗
DOE OSTI2021

Challenges in simulating economic effects of climate change on global agricultural markets

Abstract Many approaches have been used to investigate climate change impacts on agriculture. However, several caveats remain in this field: (i) analyses focus only on a few major crops, (ii) large differences in yield impacts are observed between projections from site-based crops models and Global Gridded Crop Models (GGCMs), (iii) climate change impacts on livestock are rarely quantified, and (iv) several causal relations among biophysical, environmental, and socioeconomic aspects are usually not taken into account. We investigate how assumptions about these four aspects affect agricultural markets, food supply, consumer well-being, and land use at global level by deploying a large-scale socioeconomic model of the global economy with detailed representation of the agricultural sector. We find global welfare impacts several times larger when climate impacts all crops and all livestock compared to a scenario with impacts limited to major crops. At the regional level, food budget can decrease by 10 to 25% in developing countries, challenging food security. The role of land area expansion as a major source of adaptation is highlighted. Climate impacts on crop yields from site-based process crop models generate more challenging socioeconomic outcomes than those from GGCMs. We conclude that the agricultural research community should expand efforts to estimate climate impacts on many more crops and livestock. Also, careful comparison of the GGCMs and traditional site-based process crop models is needed to understand their major implications for agricultural and food markets.

Gurgel, Angelo C. (ORCID:0000000183319508)↗