# US 11,078,500 B2 · Method for the simultaneous production of ethanol and a fermented, solid product

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- Number: US 11,078,500 B2
- Document ID: US11078500B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/022,308
- Filed: 2018-06-28
- Published: 2019-01-03
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2011-10-06
- Assignees: Hamlet Protein A/S
- Applicants: Hamlet Protein A/S
- Inventors: Ole Kaae Hansen; Katrine Hvid Ellegård; Karl Kristian Thomsen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078500B2

## CPC

- C12P 7/06: Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
- A23K 10/12: by fermentation of natural products, e.g. of vegetable material, animal waste material or biomass
- A23K 10/38: from distillers' or brewers' waste
- A23L 33/10: using additives (addition of substantially indigestible substances A23L33/21)
- A23L 33/185: Vegetable proteins
- A61K 8/60: Sugars; Derivatives thereof
- A61K 8/645: {Proteins of vegetable origin; Derivatives or degradation products thereof}
- A61K 47/36: Polysaccharides; Derivatives thereof, e.g. gums, starch, alginate, dextrin, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, inulin, agar or pectin
- A61K 47/42: Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof; Derivatives thereof, e.g. albumin, gelatin or zein (oligopeptides having up to five amino acids {A61K47/183}; polyamino acids A61K47/34)
- C12P 1/02: by using fungi
- C12P 7/08: produced as by-product or from waste or cellulosic material substrate
- C12P 7/10: substrate containing cellulosic material
- C12P 19/02: Monosaccharides (2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60)
- C12P 19/04: Polysaccharides, i.e. compounds containing more than five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic bonds
- C12P 19/14: produced by the action of a carbohydrase {(EC 3.2.x)}, e.g. by alpha-amylase {, e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulase}
- C12P 21/00: Preparation of peptides or proteins (single cell protein C12N1/00)
- C12Y 302/01: Glycosidases, i.e. enzymes hydrolysing O- and S-glycosyl compounds (3.2.1)
- C12Y 302/01001: Alpha-amylase (3.2.1.1)
- C12Y 302/01003: Glucan 1,4-alpha-glucosidase (3.2.1.3), i.e. glucoamylase
- C12Y 302/01022: Alpha-galactosidase (3.2.1.22)
- C13K 1/02: obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials (manufacture of fodder A23K10/32)
- C13K 13/00: Sugars not otherwise provided for in this class
- A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
- C12P 2201/00: Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis
- C12P 2203/00: Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- Y02P 60/87: Re-use of by-products of food processing for fodder production
- 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)}
- A23K: FODDER
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- C12Y: ENZYMES
- C13K: SACCHARIDES OBTAINED FROM NATURAL SOURCES OR BY HYDROLYSIS OF NATURALLY OCCURRING DISACCHARIDES, OLIGOSACCHARIDES OR POLYSACCHARIDES (chemically synthesised sugars or sugar derivatives C07H; polysaccharides, e.g. starch, derivatives thereof C08B; malt C12C; fermentation or enzyme-using processes for preparing compounds containing saccharide radicals C12P19/00; production of sucrose C13B)
- A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the simultaneous production of a fermented, solid product and ethanol comprising the following steps: 1) providing a mixture of milled or flaked or otherwise disintegrated biomass, comprising oligosaccharides and/or polysaccharides and live yeast in a dry matter ratio of from 2:1 to 100:1, and water; 2) fermenting the mixture resulting from step (1) under conditions where the water content in the initial mixture does not exceed 65% by weight, for 1-36 hours at a temperature of about 25-60° C. under anaerobic conditions; 3) incubating the fermented mixture resulting from step (2) for 0.5-240 minutes at a temperature of about 70-150° C.; and 4) separating wet fermented, solid product from the fermented mixture resulting from step (3); further comprising either a) that the fermentation in step (2) is performed in one or more interconnected paddle worm or continuous worm conveyers with inlet means for the fermentation mixture and additives and outlet means for the ferment as well as control means for rotation speed, temperature and pH, or b) that one or more processing aids are added in any of steps (1), (2) and (3) and further comprising a step of 5) separating crude ethanol from the fermented mixture in step (2) by vacuum and/or in step (3) by vacuum or by injection of steam and condensing the surplus stripping steam. The invention further relates to the products of this method as well as uses thereof.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fermented, solid protein product obtained from a biomass by a process comprising:
(1) providing an initial mixture of a milled or flaked or otherwise disintegrated biomass of proteinaceous plant parts comprising proteins and carbohydrates, wherein the carbohydrates predominantly comprise oligosaccharides and/or polysaccharides, and live yeast in a dry matter ratio of from 2:1 to 100:1, and water, wherein the water content in the initial mixture does not exceed 65% by weight of the initial mixture;
(2) adding one or more processing aids to the mixture prior to fermenting,
(3) fermenting the mixture for 1-36 hours at a temperature of about 25-60° C. under anaerobic conditions to obtain a fermented mixture;
(4) separating crude ethanol from the fermented mixture to obtain an ethanol-separated fermented mixture; and
5) separating wet fermented, solid product from the ethanol-separated fermented mixture,
wherein the fermented, solid protein product comprises protein in an amount of 25-90% by weight on a dry matter basis, wherein 1-35% by weight of protein present in the fermented, solid protein product originates from the yeast, and 65-99% by weight of protein present in the fermented, solid protein product originates from the proteinaceous plant parts,
wherein the relative amount of soluble carbohydrate present in the fermented, solid protein product is reduced as compared to that present in the initial biomass.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, wherein the relative amount of soluble carbohydrate present in the fermented, solid protein product is reduced by about 40-60% as compared to that present in the initial biomass.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, wherein the relative amount of soluble carbohydrate present in the fermented, solid protein product is reduced as compared to that present in a fermented, solid protein product made by the same process but without the one or more processing aids.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more processing aids is selected from rosemary, thyme, oregano, flavonoids, phenolic acids, saponins, α-acids from hops, and β-acids from hops.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more processing aids is α-lupulic acid or β-lupulic acid.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more processing aids is an enzyme selected from a protease, peptidase, α-galactosidase, amylase, glucanase, pectinase, hemicellulase, phytase, lipase, phospholipase and oxido-reductase.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, comprising glyceride in an amount up to 30% by weight of dry matter.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, wherein the water content in the initial mixture does not exceed 60% by weight of the initial mixture.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, wherein the water content in the initial mixture does not exceed 55% by weight of the initial mixture.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, wherein the water content in the initial mixture does not exceed 50% by weight of the initial mixture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid product of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises at least one of rapeseed, soya, and wheat.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid product of claim 1, wherein the live yeast is selected from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, spent brewer's yeast, spent distiller's yeast, spent yeast from wine production, and yeast strains fermenting C5 sugars.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid product of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises, after step (3) of fermenting the mixture for 1-36 hours at a temperature of about 25-60° C. under anaerobic conditions:
(3a) fermenting the mixture for 1-36 hours at a temperature of about 25-60° C. under aerobic conditions to obtain an aerobically-fermented mixture, and
wherein step (4) comprises separating crude ethanol from the aerobically-fermented mixture to obtain the ethanol-separated fermented mixture.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid product of claim 1, wherein the fermenting is performed in one or more interconnected paddle worm or continuous worm conveyers.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid product of claim 1, wherein the fermenting is performed in a vertical screw mixture.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid product of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises incubating the fermented mixture for 0.5-240 minutes at a temperature of from about 70-150° C.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The fermented, solid product of claim 16, wherein the process further comprises adding one or more processing aids during the fermenting and/or during the incubating.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A composition comprising a fermented, solid product according to claim 1.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The composition of claim 18, wherein the composition is selected from a processed food product for human and/or animal consumption, a food or feed product ingredient, a cosmetic, a pharmaceutical product, and a nutritional supplement.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The composition of claim 18, containing from 1 to 99% by weight of the fermented, solid product.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The fermented, solid protein product of claim 1, wherein the relative amount of soluble carbohydrate present in the fermented, solid protein product is reduced by at least 40% as compared to that present in the initial biomass.