Fermentation of lactose to bio-ethanol by yeasts as part of integrated solutions for the valorisation of cheese whey

Cheese whey, the main dairy by-product, is increasingly recognized as a source of many bioactive valuable compounds. Nevertheless, the most abundant component in whey is lactose (ca. 5% w/v), which represents a significant environmental problem. Due to the large lactose surplus generated, its conver...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biotechnology advances 2010-05, Vol.28 (3), p.375-384
Main Authors: Guimarães, Pedro M.R., Teixeira, José A., Domingues, Lucília
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bio-ethanol
Biological and medical sciences
Biotechnology
Byproducts
Cheese
Cheese - microbiology
Cheese whey
Ethanol - metabolism
Ethyl alcohol
Fermentation
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fungi - physiology
Genetic Enhancement - methods
Kluyveromyces
Kluyveromyces marxianus
Lactose
Lactose - metabolism
Lactose fermentation
Methods. Procedures. Technologies
Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology
Recombinant S. cerevisiae
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Strain
Whey
Yeast
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Summary:Cheese whey, the main dairy by-product, is increasingly recognized as a source of many bioactive valuable compounds. Nevertheless, the most abundant component in whey is lactose (ca. 5% w/v), which represents a significant environmental problem. Due to the large lactose surplus generated, its conversion to bio-ethanol has long been considered as a possible solution for whey bioremediation. In this review, fermentation of lactose to ethanol is discussed, focusing on wild lactose-fermenting yeasts, particularly Kluyveromyces marxianus, and recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. The early efforts in the screening and characterization of the fermentation properties of wild lactose-consuming yeasts are reviewed. Furthermore, emphasis is given on the latter advances in engineering S. cerevisiae strains for efficient whey-to-ethanol bioprocesses. Examples of industrial implementation are briefly discussed, illustrating the viability of whey-to-ethanol systems. Current developments on strain engineering together with the growing market for biofuels will likely boost the industrial interest in such processes.
ISSN:0734-9750
1873-1899
DOI:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2010.02.002