# US 10,767,197 B2 · Method to enhance yeast growth for fermentative bioproduct production, and nutrient composition for same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,767,197 B2 - Document ID: US10767197B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/297,717 - Filed: 2016-10-19 - Published: 2017-04-20 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-20 - Assignees: Buckman Laboratories International, Inc. - Applicants: Buckman Laboratories International, Inc. - Inventors: John Paul Buyondo; Percy Jaquess - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767197B2 ## CPC - C12P 7/06: Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage - C12N 1/16: Yeasts; Culture media therefor - C12N 1/18: Baker's yeast; Brewer's yeast - C12N 1/38: Chemical stimulation of growth or activity by addition of chemical compounds which are not essential growth factors; Stimulation of growth by removal of a chemical compound (C12N1/34 takes precedence) - C12P 7/6463: obtained from glyceride producing microorganisms, e.g. single cell oil - Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel - C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)} - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A method for enhancing yeast growth for bioproduct production is described. A method for fermentative bioproduct production also is provided. A nutrient composition used in the methods also is described. A liquid mixture containing the nutrient composition, yeast culture (or fungi, algae, or bacteria culture), and sugars also is provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for enhancing yeast growth for bioproduct production, comprising: culturing at least one yeast in a growth medium containing a nutrient composition to obtain a propagated yeast culture, wherein the nutrient composition comprises corn steep liquor and at least one of (a) at least one antifoaming agent, or (b) at least one surfactant, or any combination thereof, wherein the at least one yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces pastorianus (carlsbergiensis), Kluyveromyces lactis, Kluyveromyces fragilis, Fusarium oxysporum, or any combination thereof, wherein the at least one organic antifoaming agent is a polyglycol, a blend of polyglycol and silicone, a fatty acid ethoxylate, an ethoxylated fatty amine, or any combination thereof, and wherein the at least one surfactant is a nonionic surfactant that is an ethoxylated sorbitan ester, a glyceride ethoxylate, an ethoxylated castor oil, an alcohol ethoxylate, an alkylphenol ethoxylate, a phenol ethoxylate, an amide ethoxylate, a fatty acid ethoxylate, a fatty amine ethoxylate, a fatty amide ethoxylate, a fatty mono or di-ethanolamide, an alkyl glycoside, a polyethylene glycol (PEG), an acetylenic glycol, a polypropylene glycol (PPG), a poloxamer, an alkali metal arylsulfonate, an ethoxylated fatty amide, or any combination thereof, and wherein a) addition of the nutrient composition results in an increased yeast concentration in the propagation and fermentation tanks of at least 3 million cells per gram as compared to a yeast concentration in the propagation and fermentation tanks wherein the culturing is done with addition of only the same amount of said corn steep liquor and without the at least one antifoaming agent, or wherein b) addition of the nutrient composition results in an increased ethanol concentration in the fermented biomass of at least 1% w/v as compared to an ethanol concentration in the propagation and fermentation tanks wherein the culturing is done with addition of only the same amount of corn steep liquor and without the at least one antifoaming agent and at least one surfactant, or both. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the nutrient composition comprises the at least one surfactant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one antifoaming agent is present. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one antifoaming agent is at least one surfactant that has an HLB value of from 1 to 5. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one surfactant is said ethoxylated sorbitan ester (polysorbate). ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one surfactant has an HLB value of from 2 to 39. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one surfactant has an HLB value of from 7 to 25. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the nutrient composition comprises from 95% to 99.9% by weight of the corn steep liquor, and at least one of (a) from 0.1% (w/v) to 5.0% (w/v) of the at least one antifoaming agent, or (b) from 0.1% (w/v) to 5.0% (w/v) of the at least one surfactant, or any combination of (a) and (b), based on total solids weight of the composition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the culturing comprises culturing a mixture containing from 0.01% to 50.00% by weight of the at least one yeast and from 99.99% to 50.00% by weight of the nutrient composition, based on the weight of the mixture. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein addition of the nutrient composition results in an increased yeast concentration in the propagated yeast culture of at least 25% more on a cells per unit weight basis as compared to a yeast concentration in the propagated yeast culture wherein the culturing is done with addition of only the same amount of said corn steep liquor and without the at least one antifoaming agent. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein addition of the nutrient composition results in an increased yeast concentration in the propagated yeast culture of at least 25% more on a cells per unit weight basis as compared to a yeast concentration in the propagated yeast culture wherein the culturing is done with addition of only the same amount of said corn steep liquor and without the at least one surfactant and the at least one antifoaming agent. ### Claim 12 A method for fermentative bioproduct production, comprising: culturing at least one yeast in a growth medium containing a nutrient composition to obtain a propagated yeast culture, wherein the nutrient composition comprises corn steep liquor and at least one of (a) at least one antifoaming agent wherein the at least one organic antifoaming agent is a polyglycol, a blend of polyglycol and silicone, a fatty acid ethoxylate, an ethoxylated fatty amine, or any combination thereof, or (b) at least one surfactant wherein the at least one surfactant is a nonionic surfactant that is an ethoxylated sorbitan ester, a glyceride ethoxylate, an ethoxylated castor oil, an alcohol ethoxylate, an alkylphenol ethoxylate, a phenol ethoxylate, an amide ethoxylate, a fatty acid ethoxylate, a fatty amine ethoxylate, a fatty amide ethoxylate, a fatty mono or di-ethanolamide, an alkyl glycoside, a polyethylene glycol (PEG), an acetylenic glycol, a polypropylene glycol (PPG), a poloxamer, an alkali metal arylsulfonate, an ethoxylated fatty amide, or any combination thereof, wherein said at least one yeast comprises Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces pastorianus (carlsbergiensis), Kluyveromyces lactis, Kluyveromyces fragilis, Fusarium oxysporum, or any combinations thereof; inoculating a fermentation substrate with the propagated yeast culture to produce a fermentable biomass; fermenting the fermentable biomass to produce a fermented biomass comprising at least one bioproduct and non-fermented solids content; and separating at least a portion of the at least one bioproduct from the solids content, wherein a) addition of the nutrient composition results in an increased yeast concentration in the propagation and fermentation tanks of at least 3 million cells per gram as compared to a yeast concentration in the propagation and fermentation tanks wherein the culturing is done with addition of only the same amount of said corn steep liquor and without the at least one antifoaming agent, or wherein b) addition of the nutrient composition results in an increased ethanol concentration in the fermented biomass of at least 1% w/v as compared to an ethanol concentration in the propagation and fermentation tanks wherein the culturing is done with addition of only the same amount of corn steep liquor and without the at least one antifoaming agent and at least one surfactant, or both. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the corn steep liquor, the at least one antifoaming agent, and the at least one surfactant are premixed prior to addition for the culturing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the corn steep liquor, the at least one antifoaming agent, and the at least one surfactant are individually added for the culturing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one antifoaming agent is at least one organic antifoaming agent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one antifoaming agent is a surfactant that has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value of from about 1 to about 5. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising introducing additional nutrient composition comprising corn steep liquor, at least one antifoaming agent, and at least one surfactant, which is contained in the fermentable biomass. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the corn steep liquor, the at least one antifoaming agent, and optionally the at least one surfactant are premixed prior to addition to the fermentable biomass. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the corn steep liquor, the at least one antifoaming agent, and optionally the at least one surfactant are individually added for the fermentable mass. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one bioproduct is ethanol, oil, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the separating comprises a) distilling ethanol from the fermented biomass, b) extracting oil from the fermented biomass, or c) both a) and b). ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the fermenting is a high gravity fermentation at from 30% to 40% fermentable solids, and addition of the nutrient composition results in an increased ethanol yield of at least 2% w/v as compared to the ethanol yield wherein the culturing is done with the same amount of urea in place of the nutrient composition. ### Claim 23 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the propagation and fermentation tanks comprises an ethanol concentration of 0.02% to 18% w/v, and addition of the nutrient composition results in an increased yeast concentration in the fermented biomass of at least 2.5% on a cells per unit weight basis as compared to a yeast concentration in the fermented biomass wherein the culturing is done with addition of only the same amount of said corn steep liquor and without the at least one surfactant and the at least one antifoaming agent. ### Claim 24 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein addition of the nutrient composition results in decreased residual sugar concentration in the fermented biomass of at least 3% w/v as compared to a residual sugar concentration in the propagation and fermentation tanks wherein the culturing is done with addition of only the same amount of said corn steep liquor and without the at least one antifoaming agent. ### Claim 25 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein culturing is performed in a fermentation mode selected from batch fermentation, fed-batch fermentation, or continuous fermentation. ### Claim 26 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein fermenting is performed in a fermentation mode selected from batch fermentation, fed-batch fermentation, or continuous fermentation. ### Claim 27 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the fermentation substrate comprises corn, wheat, rye, barley, sorghum, wood, willow and switch grass, corn stover, corn cobs, straw bagasse, sugar cane, molasses, sugar beet, tapioca (cassava), potatoes, paper and pulp mills waste, algae, wood, seeds, grasses, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 28 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the fermentation substrate comprises corn.