Achievements

1. Technology transferred or ready to be transferred to industry

Algal Biotechnology

•  Mass Cultivation Technology: Mass cultivation of Spirulina technology has been developed from local strain selection to pilot and industrial scale cultivation. The research involved the use of tapioca starch waste water as substrate for Spirulina cultivation in order to reduce production costs. Four pilot concrete raceway-type ponds equipped with paddle wheels provided encouraging results: the harvested slurry was sun-dried, the final product containing 55% protein and 7% moisture. The investment and annual production cost for Spirulina biomass was estimated for a plant covering a total production area of 1.5 hectares with a productivity of 40 tons per year; the operating cost was between $6,000 and $7,000 per ton. After the completion of the project, the technology developed was transferred to the private sector where dried Spirulina is produced as high-protein feed for animals (e.g. shrimp and fish). As Spirulina biomass can be used either as a food supplement for direct human consumption or as feed supplement for animals, commercial production is likely to increase for the health product market.

Microbial Bioprocess Development and Pilot Plant Fermentation

•  Pilot Scale Fermentation for microbial production, Baker's Yeast, Bacillus subtilis : Local strains with high yield have been selected and cultivated from laboratory experimentation to commercial scale with an extensive range of ferment ors from 5 litres up to 1,500 litres. Using locally designed pilot plant ferment ation facilities, the Unit has enabled potential private sector clients to carry out small-scale production runs for feasibility testing, cost predictions or optimization of processing steps and production of prototype products for market testing.

Sensor Technology

•  Screen-printed electrodes for blood-glucose determination: Screen-printing seems to be one of the most promising technologies which will enable bio sensor s to be produced on a large scale in the near future. This method boasts several advantages, including compactness, versatility and low cost, thus holding out the possibility of mass production. In this research, screen-printed electrodes have been constructed based on hydrogen peroxide-sensing electrodes. Commercially available rhodium-on-carbon was used as the electrode base material. In addition, glucose oxidase was mixed with catalytic ink to from “biocomposite” ink, which was then screen-printed onto the substrate, producing glucose bio sensor s in a single, one-step procedure. This existing technique offers greater speed and simplicity in the manufacturing process.

Food Technology and Engineering

•  Development of thermal processing: A sterilization process for canned food production by retort has been developed. This involved the development of design software using experimental data. A heat penetration database of Thai canned food has been developed following systematic collection of data. This standard database will help reduce the expensive and time-consuming procedure to determine the optimal thermal process for new products. The prototype still retort with over pressure that has been developed will help SMEs to develop their new products with more attractive packaging through the sterilization of pouches, bottles and other plastic packaging using the special retort to maintain their shape and seal during processing.

Systems Biology and Bioinformatics

•  Development of software: As lipids have become interesting compounds in biotechnological industries because of their broad functions applicable to medical, pharmaceutical, and oleo-chemical industries, the insightful understanding into the lipid biosynthesis of the producer strains will lead to the rational strain improvement. A prototype of user-friendly genome-scale model of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was developed using systems biology and bioinformatics approach and used to simulate the effect of genes/enzymes on the cellular growth and lipid productions. This in silico approach would enable rational metabolic pathway alterations at the genetic level for improved cellular properties especially the overproduction of certain lipids and essential fatty acids then cut down the time used for laboratory validation experiments.