SEC’s Microalgae project gets a stellar addition from its partner Bühler Group
Bühler Group deploys its world’s first Stellar system based on nanosecond pulsed electric fields at SEC for more efficient microalgae processing.
SEC’s Urban Microalgae Protein project reached a new milestone when the Bühler Group installed its state-of-the-art Stellar technology at the project laboratory.
The Urban Microalgae Protein project aims to develop a sustainable, urban single-cell protein production platform and microalgae-based food concepts with taste and nutrition profiles that meet consumer preferences.
“The Stellar technology will enable us to deliver industry relevant results to improve the eco-efficiency and productivity of microalgae supply-chains by establishing a pulsed electric field (PEF)-based biorefinery as part of the Urban Microalgae Protein project” says Dr Iris Haberkorn, project lead and senior scientist at SEC.
The first of its kind, Stellar technology uses nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field processing to grow single-cell cultures, like microalgae at a faster rate, without biologically altering them.
“The installed Stellar Gemini system enables application development and initial scale-up to pilot scale on a flexible and easy-to-use platform. Operators have access to Bühler's extensive know-how while having full flexibility for independent application development, ensuring maximum efficiency in process development.” says Dr. Leandro Buchmann, Project Manager Bioprocessing at Bühler AG.
Advantages of the Stellar technology:
- Time: Increased process efficiency by up to 30% proven, by either increasing the capacity of the installed base or reducing resource requirements.
- Flexible: Ability to process different organisms / strains from lab to an industrially relevant pilot scale.
- Natural: A natural physical process in addition to or as an alternative to feedstock optimisation.
“Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field processing can have a tremendous impact on the bio-based domain and the alternative protein sector focusing on single-cell-based value-chains. Our research delivers the fundamentals to further leverage the technology”, says Dr Iris Haberkorn.
This is a step forward towards securing the supply of food and establishing resilient, sustainable agri-food systems.
The deployment of the Stellar technology system is a result of the strong longstanding collaboration between the Bühler Group and ETH Zurich, which supports the SEC Microalgae project with know-how, experience, and expertise.
“Not only is the Stellar technology an outstanding example of technology transfer from academia into industry” says Prof. Alexander Mathys, lead PI of the Urban Microalgae Protein project. “It is also a great success story, and we are proud that the scientific fundamentals developed at the ETH Sustainable Food Processing Laboratory led to the development of a first industrial prototype system within only two years through the tremendous effort of a great team at Bühler, enabling us to deliver industry-relevant results in the project”.
Publications:
- Haberkorn, I., Siegenthaler, L., Buchmann, L., Neutsch, L., and Mathys, A., (2021). Enhancing single-cell bioconversion efficiency by harnessing nanosecond pulsed electric field processing. Biotechnol. Adv., 53, 107780. DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107780
- Haberkorn, I., Buchmann, L., Hiestand, M., and Mathys, A., (2019). Continuous nanosecond pulsed electric field treatments foster the upstream performance of Chlorella vulgaris- based biorefinery concepts. Bioresour. Technol., 293, 122029. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122029
- Buchmann, L., and Mathys, A., (2019). Perspective on pulsed electric field treatment in the bio-based industry. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 7, 1–7. DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00265