Description
In 2019, the new EC presented the European Green Deal (EGD), an ambitious sectorial transformation plan where EU will take the lead in sustainability best practices. Sustainability in agriculture plays a big role in the transformation, with farmers being key to manage the transition. Evologic aims to drive this transformation with new technologies and innovations such as producing AMF and Phoma to reduce agrochemical use and foster biodiversity. We can contribute directly to the EC's strategy targets by being an important positive contributor to a greener, innovative, economically beneficial, and more sustainable, future agriculture.
Impact
The MycoProScale project provides farmers with innovative, sustainable, fungal-based biological products as alternative solutions for agrochemicals, reducing EU's use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Thus, helping transition to a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system, while also preserving and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity.
Approach
The manufacturing process in the MycoProScale project use novel bioreactor technology utilizing Pseudo Solid State Fermentation (PSSF), a patented process that combines the best of liquid fermentation and solid-state fermentation, while improving significantly upon the drawbacks of both technologies. AMF and sterilized biopolymer particles are introduced to a bioreactor where the biologically active fungi replicates and reproduces. Once the bioreactor is at or near capacity, the biomass is carefully harvested and formulated into the end-product.
Funding
Previously secured funding has proven invaluable, helping to develop the novel core bioreactor technology. More than 60 different bioreactor prototypes have been screened to determine which aligns best with Evologic's patented technology, and then the most suitable prototypes were optimized to determine the optimal design. Once the design was determined, AMF was used to scale PSSF technology to the laboratory, and technical scale, optimizing full process control throughout the manufacturing stages.
Cost
The reducibility related to automated steps in the production and formulation processes, coupled with the scalability possible by using our novel bioreactor technology results in a significant reduction in cost of goods manufactured. A lower product cost, one comparable or below the cost of goods for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides will help to foster adoption of the innovative, sustainable biologicals by EU farmers.
Quality
State of the art technologies fall short in terms of their ability to produce sterile products with consistent compositions. Organisms other than the target grow during production, and product composition differs depending upon the solid substrate utilized. Pseudo solid state fermentation production of microorganisms results in biomass quality far superior to what is achieved during stirred-tank or solid-state fermentation because of process sterility and the use of a single substrate across processes.
Contact
This project is co-funded by the European Union
Fulfilled by
