New product in company's biofuels portfolio helps mitigate production loss due to heat stress in yeast fermentation
DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services, recently launched FermSAVER™, a tea-extract product utilized during yeast fermentation for ethanol production, as part of its growing Kemin Bio Solutions portfolio.
FermSAVER was developed to help reduce stress when yeast is exposed to excess heat generated during the summer months. Supplementation with FermSAVER has been shown to improve ethanol production during periods of heat stress compared to yeast alone.
"Managing heat during ethanol production is critical to any bioethanol facility," said Jason Ackerman, General Manager, Kemin Bio Solutions. "We are thrilled to introduce FermSAVER, which can give ethanol producers peace of mind during high-heat periods by helping to maintain productivity."
During industrial fermentation, yeast generates excessive heat through normal metabolic processes. In the absence of cooling — and during summer months when chiller effectiveness is lower — yeast fermentation is significantly affected, resulting in reduced ethanol production.
Ethanol manufacturing facilities have typically relied on cooling towers to reduce the negative consequences of heat generated during fermentation, but cooling towers may fail or become overwhelmed during periods of high heat. When this occurs, the facility must take action that is costly and may still not correct the production loss. FermSAVER can decrease the stress experienced by yeast during periods of increased temperature, ultimately leading to improved ethanol yield.
Kemin is deeply committed to providing science-backed solutions to the industries it serves and undertook a multi-year project to discover and develop the FermSAVER technology, which resulted in a patent application.
"Kemin is constantly innovating and developing novel solutions for issues prevalent in the ethanol industry and beyond," said Brandon Lewis, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Kemin Bio Solutions. "FermSAVER is yet another example of a Kemin solution directly addressing a customer need."
For more information on the Kemin Bio Solutions portfolio of products, visit www.kemin.com/bio. The Kemin Bio Solutions team will also be available at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit on February 7, 2023, at Booth 17.
