Abstract: Culturally modified lactic acid bacterial cells containing a porphyrin compound and their use in a novel method of reducing the oxygen content in a food and feed product or starting material is provided and means of improving the shelf life and/or quality of such products by using the culturally modified bacterial cells. Such culturally modified cells are useful in the manufacturing of a food and a feed product and for the manufacturing of metabolites produced by modified cells.

Abstract: L-Lactic acid fermentation using non-edible biomass requires a lactic acid bacterium suitable for fermentation using a mixture comprising oligosaccharides or mixed saccharides produced by enzymatic treatment of cellulose and hemicellulose, so that simultaneous saccharification and fermentation are enabled. Further, it must be taken into consideration that use of pentoses such as xylose derived form non-edible biomass as the raw material provides lactic acid as well as equimolar acetic acid, which halves the molar yield of lactic acid, and high concentration L-lactic acid induces fermentation inhibition, which makes it difficult to produce L-lactic acid at high yield. The present invention provides a novel lactic acid bacterium that can solve these problems. With the lactic acid bacterium of the present invention, L-lactic acid showing a high optical purity of 99.

Abstract: A system (100, 200) is described for correcting constant volume acidity of fermentative media for the production of organic acids, which comprises a fermenter (1) provided with a pH sensor (P1) a filtration module (2) provided with a filtering element, an addition vessel (3) provided with a main metering element (4), and a heat exchanger (5). Operation of the system (100, 200) is controlled by a controller (CT). As soon as the sensor (P1) detects a reduction in pH to below the ideal values for producing organic acid, the controller (CT) calculates the amount of fermentative medium to be withdrawn from the fermenter (1) and said amount is conveyed to the vessel (3) in order to be alkalinized and returned to the system. Arrangements of the system with more than one fermenter are also described. The process for correcting acidity used by the system (100, 200) of the invention is likewise described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions comprising: a polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity and a heterocyclic compound. The present invention also relates to methods of using the compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for simultaneous fermentation of pentose and hexose. The present invention modifies the metabolic pathways of a target microorganism in order to enable the target microorganism to rapidly metabolize pentose and hexose at the same time. This present invention simplified the fermentation process, decreased the cost, and increased the efficiency of the fermentation process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process of fermenting plant material in a fermentation medium into a fermentation product using a fermenting organism, wherein one or more deamidases are present in the fermentation medium.

Abstract: A method produces a chemical by fermentation including: filtering a liquid containing a feedstock, the chemical, and bacterial, microbial or cultured cells through a membrane to recover the chemical from the filtrate; retaining or refluxing unfiltered liquid in the liquid; and adding the feedstock to the liquid, wherein the membrane is a porous hollow-fiber membrane including a polyvinylidene fluoride resin, the porous hollow-fiber membrane having an average pore size of 0.001 ?m to 10.0 ?m, pure water permeability coefficient at 50 kPa at 25° C. of 0.5 m3/m2/hr to 15 m3/m2/hr, breaking strength of 5 MPa to 20 MPa, elongation at break of 30% to 200%, crimping degree of 1.3 to 2.5, porosity of not less than 40%, and critical surface tension of 45 mN/m to 75 mN/m.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for conversion of cellulosic material, such as chopped straw and corn stover, and household waste, to ethanol and other products. The cellulosic material is subjected to continuous hydrothermal pre-treatment without addition of chemicals, and a liquid and a fibre fraction are produced. The fibre fraction is subjected to enzymatic liquefaction and saccharification. The method of the present invention comprises: performing the hydrothermal pre-treatment by subjecting the cellulosic material to at least one soaking operation, and conveying the cellulosic material through at least one pressurised reactor, and subjecting the cellulosic material to at least one pressing operation, creating a fibre fraction and a liquid fraction; selecting the temperature and residence time for the hydrothermal pretreatment, so that the fibrous structure of the feedstock is maintained and at least 80% of the lignin is maintained in the fibre fraction.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the conversion of biomass into a biomass product which is suitable for use as a fuel. The biomass is of plant origin and comprises microorganisms naturally occurring in the biomass. The process comprises—preparing a slurry by dispersing the biomass comprising the naturally occurring microorganisms in an aqueous liquid, maintaining the slurry at conditions suitable for aerobic digestion by the microorganisms to obtain a slurry comprising the biomass product as a dispersed solid phase, and—recovering the biomass product. The recovering comprises washing and drying the biomass product. The invention also provides a combustion process.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with the strains of B. coagulans for lactic acid production and the related methods, in which the carbon sources are pentose or hexose or the agricultural or industrial wastes containing pentose or hexose or a mixture of both. According to the invention, the highest amount of L-lactic acid produced from glucose is 173 g/L, the optical purity is over 99%, the yield is up to 0.98, and the productivity is up to 2.4 g/L per hour. The highest amount of L-lactic acid produced from xylose is 195 g/L, the optical purity is over 99%, the yield is up to 0.98, and the productivity is up to 2.7 g/L per hour. The highest amount of L-lactic acid produced from reducing sugars in xylitol byproducts is 106 g/L, the optical purity is over 99%, and the productivity is up to 2.08 g/L per hour. The B. coagulans strains XZL4 (DSM No. 23183) and XZL9 (DSM No.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing fermentable sugar or a fermentation product from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The process comprises leaching the lignocellulosic feedstock with an aqueous solution to remove at least potassium salts from the lignocellulosic feedstock and without significantly hydrolyzing hemicellulose and cellulose, thereby producing a leached feedstock and leachate. The leachate is removed from the leachate and concentrated. The leached feedstock is hydrolyzed to produce fermentable sugar, which may be fermented to produce a fermentation broth comprising the fermentation product. The concentrated leachate is recirculated to one or more stages in the process involving alkali addition to adjust the pH of a process stream.

Abstract: Naturally occurring lecithins and/or oleic acid stimulate the growth and lactic acid producing activity of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species of probiotic bacteria, and replace polysorbate 80 for those products. They can be used in naturally occurring form, or where they are to be combined with probiotics in a carrier, or they can be treated to yield a stable powdered form of these naturally oily compounds. They can be sold as combined prebiotic/probiotic formulations in the same carrier, or sold as separate dietary supplements, e.g., in capsule or tablet form, to be used with the probiotic formulation as desired.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing sugars using a combination of acids to hydrolyze hemicellulosic and cellulosic materials in biomass, said combination of acids namely comprising a first, weak organic acid (such as acetic acid or formic acid) for providing a pentose product or stream from hydrolyzing hemicellulosic materials in the biomass on a batchwise, semi-continuous or continuous basis, and a second, strong mineral acid (such as sulfuric acid) for providing a hexose product or stream from hydrolyzing cellulosic materials in the biomass.

Abstract: Plant biomass is immersed in a solution that contains a polar solvent and an imidazolium salt that has a melting point of at least 100° C. As a result, the cellulose and hemicellulose present in the plant biomass are relaxed (decrystallized and depolymerized) and brought into an easy-to-degrade state. Reacting the immersed plant biomass with a cellulase produces saccharide at a high conversion efficiency.

Abstract: Disclosed is a copolymer resin composition including a lactic acid copolymer, the lactic acid copolymer containing monomer units represented by the following chemical formulas [1], [2], and [3], wherein a content of a monomer unit represented by the chemical formula [3] is 50 mol % or more and 95 mol % or less, a weight-average molecular weight of the lactic acid copolymer is 20,000 or more and 1,000,000 or less, and a deflection temperature of the lactic acid copolymer under load is 65° C. or higher and 100° C. or lower at a bending stress of 1.80 MPa.

Abstract: A method is described to treat diarrhea, vaginal yeast infections, constipation, heartburn, bloating, indigestion, flatulence or poor nutrient absorption, by administering a formulation of naturally occurring lecithins and/or oleic acid that stimulate the growth and lactic acid producing activity of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species of probiotic bacteria, and replace polysorbate 80 for those products, and a formulation of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species of probiotic bacteria. The formulations are in can a stable powdered form.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for producing Lactate by anaerobic Fermentation. According to particular methods of the invention, Lactate is produced by anaerobic fermentation of a substrate comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides derivatives of Escherichia coli constructed for the production of lactic acid. The transformed E. coli of the invention are prepared by deleting the genes that encode competing pathways followed by a growth-based selection for mutants with improved performance. These transformed E. coli are useful for providing an increased supply of lactic acid for use in food and industrial applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for producing fermentation products from starch-containing material, wherein liquefied mash is saccharified or pre-saccharified using a thermostable carbohydrate-source generating enzyme before fermentation or SSF.

Abstract: A method of producing lactic acid by separating lactic acid produced in a culture solution by microbial fermentation, comprising: a step (A) of filtering the culture solution through a nano-filtration membrane; and a step (B) of distilling a lactic-acid-containing solution produced in step (A) under a pressure of 1 Pa to atmospheric pressure (inclusive) at a temperature of 25 to 200° C. (inclusive) to recover lactic acid.

Abstract: It is an object of the disclosure of the present description to provide an eukaryotic cell having xylose utilization ability. The disclosure of the present description provides a novel eukaryotic cell having xylose utilization ability by transforming a yeast or other eukaryotic cell using DNA that codes a xylose isomerase from a termite protist.

Abstract: The present invention provides fungal proteases and improved fungal strains that are deficient in protease production.

Abstract: A process of producing L-lactate as defined herein by feeding carbon dioxide to a culture of a cyanobacterial cell and subjecting said culture to light, wherein said cell is capable of expressing a nucleic acid molecule, wherein the expression of said nucleic acid molecule confer on the cell the ability to convert a glycolytic intermediate into L-lactate and wherein said nucleic acid molecule is under the control of a regulatory system which responds to light or to a change in the concentration of a nutrient in said culture.

Abstract: A modified microorganism for high efficient production of lactic acid, an expression vector for constructing the modified microorganism, and a method of producing a lactic acid using the same are disclosed. The modified microorganism may produce lactic acid at a high level under acid conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing Saccharomyces strains that are capable of growth on xylose as a sole carbon source at a desired growth rate, (such as at least one generation per 48 hours), strains made by such methods, and Saccharomyces strains that grow at a growth rate of at least one generation per 48 hours using xylose as a sole carbon source for growth made by non-recombinant methods.

Abstract: Carbon-containing materials, such as biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) or coal are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels, carboxylic acids and equivalents thereof (e.g., esters and salts). For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol, butanol or organic acids (e.g., acetic or lactic acid), salts of organic acids or mixtures thereof. If desired, organic acids can be converted into alcohols, such as by first converting the acid, salt or mixtures of the acid and its salt to an ester, and then hydrogenating the formed ester. Acetogens or homoacetogens which are capable of utilizing a syngas from a thermochemical conversion of coal or biomass can be utilized to produce the desired product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cell suitable for production of one or more fermentation product from a sugar composition comprising glucose, galactose, arabinose and xylose, wherein the cell comprises two to fifteen copies of one or more xylose isomerase gene or two to fifteen copies of one or more xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase, and two to ten copies of araA, araB and araD, genes, wherein these genes are integrated into the cell genome.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cellobiohydrolase variants having improved thermostability in comparison to wild-type CBH2a.

Abstract: A manufacturing process of purified lactic acid includes a fermentation process where a pH adjusting agent containing calcium and a microorganism are added to a sugar-containing solution to produce lactic acid in the form of calcium lactate, and a purification process where sulfuric acid is added to a solution containing calcium lactate to separate calcium ions in the form of calcium sulfate. Prior to the step of adding sulfuric acid, a reverse osmosis membrane concentration step removes water; a crystallization step crystallizes and removes calcium lactate; and a reverse osmosis membrane concentration step where the solution from which calcium lactate has been removed is heated and allowed to pass through the reverse osmosis membrane removes water, the crystallization step and the subsequent reverse osmosis membrane concentration step being repeated one or more times.

Abstract: The present invention provides various GH61 protein variants comprising various amino acid substitutions. The GH61 protein variants have an improved ability to synergize with cellulase enzymes, thereby increasing the yield of fermentable sugars obtained by saccharification of biomass. In some embodiments, sugars obtained from saccharification are fermented to produce numerous end-products, including but not limited to alcohol.

Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed for use in the production of useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use biomass materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to enhance the production of a product, e.g., the production of ethanol and/or butanol by fermentation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a copolymer comprising 4-hydroxybutyrate monomer unit and lactate monomer unit, a copolymer 4-hydroxybutyrate monomer unit, lactate monomer unit and 3-hydroxyalkanoate, or their preparing method. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a copolymer comprising lactate monomer; 4-hydroxybutyrate monomer; and optionally 3-hydroxyalkanoate, wherein the method comprises culturing a cell or plant comprising the gene of enzyme converting lactate and 3-hydroxyalkanoate into lactyl-CoA and 3-hydroxyalkanoyl-CoA, respectively, phosphotransbutylase gene, butyrate kinase gene and polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase gene together, and the copolymer made by the method. The copolymer of the present invention is a biodegradable polymer being able to be usefully used instead of conventional synthetic plastic, and the copolymer can be used for medical use.

Abstract: The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates to produce one or more products. The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate derived from the conversion of a biogas stream. The invention relates to the conversion of a biogas stream comprising methane to a gaseous substrate comprising CO and/or H2, and the production of one or more products from the microbial fermentation of said gaseous substrate.

Abstract: A novel beta-glucosidase and nucleic acids encoding the beta-glucosidase. Also disclosed are cells, compositions, and methods relating to using the beta-glucosidase to convert ligocellulosic material to fermentable sugars.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of cells which are capable of converting arabinose, comprising the following steps: a) Introducing into a host strain that cannot convert arabinose, the genes AraA, araB and araD, this cell is designated as constructed cell; b) Subjecting the constructed cell to adaptive evolution until a cell that converts arabinose is obtained, c) Optionally, subjecting the first arabinose converting cell to adaptive evolution to improve the arabinose conversion; the cell produced in step b) or c) is designated as first arabinose converting cell; d) Analysing the full genome or part of the genome of the first arabinose converting cell and that of the constructed cell; e) Identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP's) in the first arabinose converting cell; and f) Using the information of the SNP's in rational design of a cell capable of converting arabinose; g) Construction of the cell capable of converting arabinose designed in step f).

Abstract: A dense but oxygen permeable membrane separates the oxygen supply compartment from the fermentation compartment, which contains all microorganisms, a nutrient medium and the pretreated lignocellulose. The oxygen, necessary for the growth and the activity of the aerobic cellulolytic enzymes producing microorganisms is solely transported from the oxygen supply compartment through the membrane, which leads to an oxygen gradient within the biofilm growing on the membrane. The oxygen rich zone of the biofilm lies on the membrane whereas the biofilm further away from the membrane as well as the surrounding nutrient medium are oxygen depleted. In the aerobic biofilm the extra-cellular enzymes are produced in situ and are released into the nutrient medium where they hydrolyse the cellulose and hemicellulose into soluble monosugars, which are then converted to the desired fermentation product by suitable microorganisms in the anaerobic zones of the reactor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a host cell comprising at least four different heterologous polynucleotides chosen from the group of polynucleotides encoding cellulases, hemicellulases and pectinases, wherein the host cell is capable of producing the at least four different enzymes chosen from the group of cellulases, hemicellulases and pectinases, wherein the host cell is a filamentous fungus and is capable of secretion of the at least four different enzymes. This host cell can suitably be used for the production of an enzyme composition that can be used in a process for the saccharification of cellulosic material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing D-type lactic acid by using E. coli and glucose derived from a plant as active ingredient, in which D-type lactic acid is a raw material of D-type polylactic acid in order to produce a stereo-complex polylactic acid blend which is a valuable material as the plant-based material for the manufacture of interior and exterior parts of an automobile. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bacterial strain and a fermentation process for producing D-type lactic acid with high optical purity.

Abstract: A truncated pullulanase variant of a parent pullulanase belonging to family GH57 comprising an X47 domain and the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention comprises pretreating a lignocellulosic feedstock with acid at a pH between about 2.0 and about 3.5 to produce a composition comprising an acid pretreated feedstock. The acid pretreated feedstock is then enzymatically hydrolyzed with cellulases and ?-glucosidase. The glucose is fermented by microorganisms to produce a fermentation broth comprising the fermentation product, followed by recovery of the fermentation product. The steps of enzymatically hydrolyzing and fermenting are conducted at a pH below about 4.0.

Abstract: Methods are provided for the efficient fractionation of lignocellulosic biomasses into cellulosic, hemicellulosic and lignin fractions, wherein concentrated organic acid vapors are applied to the biomass at elevated temperatures at the location(s) or near the location(s) where the biomass has been harvested and gathered, to at least partly depolymerize or substantially solubilize the hemicelluloses and lignins in the biomass. The organic acid-treated biomass is in either case then dried and pelletized for extended bulk storage and/or for shipment to a second facility some distance away. The organic acid-treated biomass may be processed into desired chemicals, fuels and/or fuel additives at the local processing site or at a second facility away from the local processing site, or the pelletized material may be used as a ruminant feed locally or at a feedlot some distance removed from the local processing site.

Abstract: A method of producing lactic acid by separating lactic acid produced in a culture solution by microbial fermentation, comprising: a step (A) of filtering the culture solution through a nano-filtration membrane; and a step (B) of distilling a lactic-acid-containing solution produced in step (A) under a pressure of 1 Pa to atmospheric pressure at a temperature of 25 to 200° C. to recover lactic acid.

Abstract: The present invention provides recombinant nucleic acid constructs comprising a xylose isomerase polynucleotide, a recombinant fungal host cell comprising a recombinant xylose isomerase polynucleotide, and related methods.

Abstract: Strict anaerobic thermophilic bacterium belonging to the group of Thermoanaerobacter italicus subsp. marato subsp. nov. and mutants and derivatives thereof. The bacterium is particularly suitable for the production of fermentation products such as ethanol, lactic acid, acetic acid and hydrogen from lignocellulosic biomass.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for restoring a Glu+ phenotype to a PTS?/Glu? bacterial cell which was originally capable of utilizing a phosphotransferase transport system (PTS) for carbohydrate transport. Bacterial cells comprising the Glu+ phenotype have modified endogenous chromosomal regulatory regions which are operably linked to polynucleotides encoding galactose permeases and glucokinases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a hydrolysate of from lignocellulose-containing material, comprising pre-treatment with low temperature, hydrolysis and fermentation, wherein hydrolysis is performed by contacting the lignocellulose-containing material with an enzyme composition comprising at least 10% xylanase enzyme protein w/w%.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cellobiohydrolase variants having improved thermostability and/or thermoactivity in comparison to wild-type Myceliophthora thermophila CBH2b.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Talaromyces transformant comprising one or more recombinant gene, capable of producing cellulase in the absence of cellulase inducer in a glucose medium, having a cellulase activity of 2 WSU/ml or more, in 16 times or more diluted supernatant or broth.

Abstract: A hollow fiber membrane module for use in production of a chemical substance, which is used in continuous fermentation including filtering a fermentation broth of a microorganism or a cultured cell through a hollow fiber membrane, collecting a chemical substance from a filtrate, retaining a concentrated solution in the fermentation broth or refluxing the concentrated solution, and adding a fermentation raw material to the fermentation broth, wherein a large number of hollow fiber membrane bundles are accommodated in a tubular case, at least one end part of each of the bundles is fixed on the tubular case by a hollow fiber membrane bundling member with an end face of each of the hollow fiber membranes open, and the hollow fiber membrane bundling member is made of a synthetic resin having a hardness retention rate after contact with saturated steam at 121° C. for 24 hours of 95% or more.

Abstract: The present invention relates to alpha-amylase variants, polynucleotides encoding the variants and nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides, and methods of using the variant enzymes.