Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.07.001
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Electrifying food fermentations to promote sustainability
Author Li, R.; Gu, L.; Blank, L.M.; Solem, C.; Lai, B. ORCID logo
Source Titel Trends in Biotechnology
Year 2025
Department MIBITECH
Language englisch
Topic T7 Bioeconomy
Supplements https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0167779925002628-mmc1.docx
Keywords anodic respiration; electro-fermentation; microbial electrochemical biotechnology; lactic acid bacteria; metabolic engineering; power-to-X
Abstract The important food microorganism Lactococcus lactis is limited by its fermentative metabolism and low energy yield. This limitation can be partially overcome by activating aerobic respiration which, in a food context, can be difficult to achieve as heme and oxygen must be supplied. Supplying oxygen is particularly challenging due to oxygen mass transfer limitations in food matrices. To address these challenges, we propose to use electro-fermentation to grow L. lactis anaerobically. We propose a technical concept that could potentially increase the biomass productivity by >60% and decrease cooling cost by >90%, and we discuss how this new approach can reshape and enhance the sustainability of the food industry.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=31133
Li, R., Gu, L., Blank, L.M., Solem, C., Lai, B. (2025):
Electrifying food fermentations to promote sustainability
Trends Biotechnol. 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.07.001