Technological validation of the use of bacteriophages in the control of bacterial contamination in industrial fermentation with integration of the Sensor Software for real-time control of application conditions

Abstract

Bioprocess Improvement is a Biotechnology Startup focused on the development of natural biological control of fermentation processes and the development of virtual sensors of biotechnological processes based on artificial intelligence. Our solution aims to mitigate some of the main recurring bottlenecks in the industrial fermentation process arising from bacterial contamination, which causes yeast flocculation and produces secondary metabolites (acetic and lactic acid), generating negative impacts on the efficiency of the process and monitoring in real-time of the process conditions, indicating corrective decision-making to avoid large production losses. In this context, this project aims at the validation (MVP - Minimum Viable Product) of our Biological Control, which is a specific antibacterial cocktail for the industrial fermentation process based on different bacteriophage formulations, and the Software Sensor (virtual sensor), using techniques of artificial intelligence through models of artificial neural networks that allows the inference in real time of the main variables of the fermentation process from analytical measures. In this way, validation in an operational environment in our partner, through the application of Biological Control in synergy with the Sensor Software, will detect possible changes in the process, indicating the ideal moment for the operator to interfere with the process, contributing to the reduction of bacterial contamination of the fermentation process, reduction of the use of acids in the control of bacterial contamination, reduction of input costs (antibacterial and acid) and reduction of the fermentation process time, factors that make the process safer and more efficient. In the ethanol (sugarcane) production sector, in the fermentation stage, there is no comparison available on the market about Biological Control and Sensor Software. At the end of this validation, it is expected to have an optimized and disruptive system of industrial alcoholic fermentation prepared for its commercialization in other ethanol-producing plants in addition to the partner company, through the integration and synergy of these technologies developed by Bioprocess Improvement. (AU)