Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a high titer of enzyme mixture comprising cellulases, hemicellulases and ?-glucosidases in reutilization of waste water generated during hot water extraction of lignocellulosic biomass or biorefinery waste water using Penicillium funiculosum MRJ-16 mutant strain. The cellulose or lignocellulosic biomass used in the fermentation process is selected from the group consisting of rice straw, wheat straw, corn stover, cotton stalk or a combination thereof. The enzyme mixture obtained by the present process is used for the saccharification of acid pretreated lignocellulosic biomass.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a booster composition for enhancing the biogas yield and stabilizing the operation of a biomethanation plant, a method for the preparation of said booster composition and a method for enhancing the biogas yield and stabilizing the operation of a biomethanation plant using said composition by ameliorating the effect of shock conditions like pH and temperature. The booster composition comprises of specifically defined constituents selected from controlled release agents, redox potential balancers, direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) improvers, micronutrient balancers, and Co-factors.

Abstract: An advantageous process for pre-treating lignocellulosic biomass to hydrolysable polysaccharide enriched biomass with reduced amount of inhibitors of catalysis comprising steps of: providing a feedstock comprising cellulosic biomass; chopping of cellulosic biomass to have a cellulosic biomass feed material of uniform size; feeding of uniform sized feed material to a horizontal counter current extraction unit; removing excess of water from the feed material obtained from the extraction unit; soaking the extruded feed material obtained from the extraction unit; optionally removing excess of water from the feed material obtained after acid soaking; steam pre-treating the feed material obtained after removing excess of water from the acid soaked feed material; neutralizing the slurry obtained from the steam pre-treating; and optionally saccharifying the neutralized slurry.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved method of second generation ethanol production from a lignocellulosic biomass. The process comprises subjecting a slurry of pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass comprising C5 and C6 sugars in a fermentor; preferentially fermenting mainly C5 sugars by incubating the pretreated lignocellulosic biomass of step (i) with first cellulase enzyme, co-fermenting microorganism, nutrient in the fermentor at 30-37° C. for a period of 16 to 24 hours; adding second cellulase enzyme to the fermentation broth of step (ii) and increasing the temperature to 45-55° C. for hydrolysis; allowing the fermentation broth of step (iii) to cool to a temperature of 35-38° C.; and preferentially fermenting C6 sugars by incubating the broth of step (iv) with a second dose of co-fermenting microorganism for a period of 6-8 hours to obtain ethanol. The process results in high ethanol productivity in shortest duration of time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for simultaneous production of citric acid and cellulolytic enzymes. The batch process comprising (i) adding slurry of a pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass or cellulose in a fermentation media; (ii) inoculating 10% (v/v) active liquid seed culture of Penicillium funiculosum MRJ-16 in the fermentation media of step (i); (iii) subjecting the culture of step (ii) to fermentation in an aerated fermenter at a temperature of 28-33° C. for a duration of 96 hours; and (iv) collecting enzyme broth after fermentation of step (iii) to obtain citric acid and cellulolytic enzymes. The batch and fed-batch process of the present invention results in high titer production of citric acid and cellulolytic enzymes in a single step and using single microbial strain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of cellulases enzymes production by Penicillium funiculosum MRJ-16 using minimum media components and/or low cost media components like cellulose or pretreated lignocellulosic biomass as carbon source and soya flour or defatted soya flour or de-oiled soya cake as nitrogen source. The present invention also provides a method for production of high titer of cellulases and hemicellulases enzymes using Penicillium funiculosum MRJ-16 using minimum media and/or low cost media components.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for continuous production of second-generation ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass via continuous simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) process, wherein the process includes a first fermentor vessel for selectively fermenting C5 sugars and then Continuous transferring the fermented biomass to a second fermentor vessel for hydrolyzing the fermented biomass and then Continuous transferring the hydrolysate to a third fermentor vessel for selectively fermenting C6 sugars to obtain ethanol. Overall, the ethanol yield achieved was up to 70% for both C5 and C6 sugars from pretreated biomass; and C5 utilization exceeded 95% after SSCF.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a formulation to stabilize lignocellulolytic enzyme mixture. This invention in particular relates to a formulation composed of lignocellulolytic enzyme with critical dosages of molasses either with petrochemical waste or glycerol as an additive to improve enzyme stability in a synergistic manner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an additive or additive composition for improved production of fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass during enzymatic hydrolysis. More particularly, the present invention discloses petrochemical waste as an additive or an additive composition containing one or more ethylene glycol oligomers and one or more metal ions which are useful for improved production of fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass during enzymatic hydrolysis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass via modified simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF), wherein the process includes transferring or recirculation of residual biomass from a first batch of SSCF to a second batch of SSCF at the time of enzymatic hydrolysis and then transferring the residual biomass in part or completely from the second batch of SSCF to a third batch of SSCF process to its hydrolysis reaction step. Overall, the average ethanol yield from three conjugative batch of SSCF is 5.06% higher compare to the single batch of SSCF without adding any additional enzyme, and hydrolysis time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved method of second generation ethanol production from a lignocellulosic biomass. The process comprises subjecting a slurry of pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass comprising C5 and C6 sugars in a fermentor; preferentially fermenting mainly C5 sugars by incubating the pretreated lignocellulosic biomass of step (i) with first cellulase enzyme, co-fermenting microorganism, nutrient in the fermentor at 30-37° C. for a period of 16 to 24 hours; adding second cellulase enzyme to the fermentation broth of step (ii) and increasing the temperature to 45-55° C. for hydrolysis; allowing the fermentation broth of step (iii) to cool to a temperature of 35-38° C.; and preferentially fermenting C6 sugars by incubating the broth of step (iv) with a second dose of co-fermenting microorganism for a period of 6-8 hours to obtain ethanol. The process results in high ethanol productivity in shortest duration of time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a high titer of enzyme mixture comprising cellulases, hemicellulases and ?-glucosidases in reutilization of waste water generated during hot water extraction of lignocellulosic biomass or biorefinery waste water using Penicillium funiculosum MRJ-16 mutant strain. The cellulose or lignocellulosic biomass used in the fermentation process is selected from the group consisting of rice straw, wheat straw, corn stover, cotton stalk or a combination thereof. The enzyme mixture obtained by the present process is used for the saccharification of acid pretreated lignocellulosic biomass.

Abstract: A method for preparing a hyper-cellulolytic catabolite derepressed mutants of ascomycetes fungus, especially variants of Penicillium funiculosum. Selection media used to isolate such variants include amorphous cellulose and a high concentration of glucose. Cellulase activities of mutant ID-10, in particular such as FPase and ?-glucosidase were 1.5 times higher than Penicillium funiculosum MRJ-16 (parent). Furthermore, fungal mutant morphology was changed and no pH adjustment was required throughout the enzyme production process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of cellulases enzymes production by Penicillium funiculosum MRJ-16 using minimum media components and/or low cost media components like cellulose or pretreated lignocellulosic biomass as carbon source and soya flour or defatted soya flour or de-oiled soya cake as nitrogen source. The present invention also provides a method for production of high titer of cellulases and hemicellulases enzymes using Penicillium funiculosum MRJ-16 using minimum media and/or low cost media components.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mutant fungal strain of Penicillium funiculosum ‘MRJ-16’ characterized by the ability to produce high titer of enzyme mixture comprising FPase, CMCase, Cellobiase, ?-glucosidase, endoglucanase, ?-L arabinofuranosidase, ?-xylosidase, xylanase, pectinase, cellobiohydrase and oxidases and produce enzymes in the presence of a catabolite repressor molecule like glucose and/or xylose. The titer of enzyme mixture produced using mutant fungal strain MRJ-16 is at least two fold higher than naive Penicillium funiculosum strain NCIM 1228, when used in a fermentation process. The mutant strain ‘MRJ-16’ with high hydrolytic activity and catabolite derepressed character is having application in the method of degrading or saccharifying biomass to produce valuable products for example-bioethanol.

Abstract: An advantageous process for pre-treating lignocellulosic biomass to hydrolysable polysaccharide enriched biomass with reduced amount of inhibitors of catalysis comprising steps of: providing a feedstock comprising cellulosic biomass; chopping of cellulosic biomass to have a cellulosic biomass feed material of uniform size; feeding of uniform sized feed material to a horizontal counter current extraction unit; removing excess of water from the feed material obtained from the extraction unit; soaking the extruded feed material obtained from the extraction unit; optionally removing excess of water from the feed material obtained after acid soaking; steam pre-treating the feed material obtained after removing excess of water from the acid soaked feed material; neutralizing the slurry obtained from the steam pre-treating; and optionally saccharifying the neutralized slurry.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for producing readily available and hydrolysable polysaccharide-enriched biomass from lignocellulosic biomass while quantitatively retaining carbohydrate and producing fewer amounts of inhibitors. The method includes treating lignocellulosic biomass with an aqueous solution at elevated temperatures in a sequential step using hydrazine hydrate and sodium sulphite. In accordance with the present invention, the biomass may be further treated with a saccharification enzyme consortium to produce fermentable sugars.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a formulation to stabilize lignocellulolytic enzyme mixture. This invention in particular relates to a formulation composed of lignocellulolytic enzyme with critical dosages of molasses either with petrochemical waste or glycerol as an additive to improve enzyme stability in a synergistic manner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass via modified simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF). In the present invention, enzymatic hydrolysis is preceded by mainly C5 sugar fermentation and low enzymatic hydrolysis and succeeds by mainly C6 sugar fermentation at different temperature and duration. This resulted into reduction in enzyme dosage and process time with increase in ethanol yield from acid pretreated biomass.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an additive or additive composition for improved production of fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass during enzymatic hydrolysis. More particularly, the present invention discloses petrochemical waste as an additive or an additive composition containing one or more ethylene glycol oligomers and one or more metal ions which are useful for improved production of fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass during enzymatic hydrolysis.