Process for production of keratin microfibers and protein hydrolysate from poultry feathers via microbial hydrolysis
AssigneeBioextrax AB
InventorMohammad H.A. Ibrahim
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process of converting feather materials into keratin-rich microfibers and soluble protein hydrolysate, the process comprising using a microbial hydrolysis technique.
Claims35
A process for production of keratin microfibers from feather material, the process comprising:
- a) Providing a fermentation medium;
- b) Providing feather material at a concentration of at least 25 grams dry weight/L of fermentation medium;
- c) Providing a keratin-degrading bacteria;
- d) Contacting the fermentation medium, the feather material and the keratin-degrading bacteria, and thereby fermenting the feather material to obtain a fermented composition;
- e) Separating the fermented composition obtained in step d) into one supernatant fraction and one precipitate fraction, wherein the precipitate fraction obtained in the separation step comprises keratin microfibers,
- thereby obtaining keratin microfibers, wherein said keratin microfibers comprise at least 75% dry weight keratin, and wherein said microfibers have a length of between 20 μm and 200 μm.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the precipitate fraction obtained in the separation step further comprises fermenting cells.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the separation step comprises centrifugation and/or filtration.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the process further comprises a step of purifying the precipitate fraction.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of purifying comprises:
- re-suspending the precipitate fraction, and/or washing the precipitate fraction and/or mixing the precipitate fraction with water;
- centrifugation and/or filtration of the re-suspended, washed and/or mixed precipitate fraction.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the purification step results in one supernatant fraction and one precipitate fraction, and wherein the precipitate fraction obtained in the purification step comprises purified keratin microfibers, and the supernatant fraction obtained in the purification step comprises fermenting cells.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the purification step is optionally repeated on the precipitate fraction at least twice, such as at least three times.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the process further comprises a step of drying the precipitate fraction obtained from the separation step and/or from the purification step.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supernatant fraction obtained in the purification step comprises fermenting cells and is recirculated to the fermenting step.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the feather material comprises or consists of feathers.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the feather material comprises quill and/or vane of feathers.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the feathers are selected from the group consisting of vaned feathers, down feathers, pennaceous feathers, contour feathers, filoplume, remiges and flight feathers.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the feathers are from poultry, such as from chicken and/or turkey.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said keratin-degrading bacteria belongs to the genus Bacillus.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the keratin-degrading bacteria is selected from the group consisting of Bacillus pumilus, B. subtilis, B. megaterium, B. licheniformis, and B. cereus.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the keratin-degrading bacteria is Bacillus pumilus.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the keratin-degrading bacteria is Bacillus pumilus FH9, deposited with the Deutsche Sammlung von Microorganismen and Zellkulturen GmbH on 24 Mar. 2014 under deposition number DSM 28594.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fermenting step is aerobic.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature of the fermenting step is between 30° C. and 42° C., such as between 32° C. and 38° C., such as between 34° C. and 38° C., such as between 36° C. and 38° C., such as 37° C.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein pH of the fermenting step is between pH 5 to pH 8, such as between pH 6 to pH 9, such as between pH 6.5 to pH 8.5, such as pH 8.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the time for fermentation is 12 h to 96 h, such as 12 h to 84 h, such as 24 h to 84 h, such as 36 h to 84 h, such as 48 h to 72 h, such as 24 h.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fermenting step comprises mechanical stirring.
A microfiber composition comprising keratin microfibers, wherein said keratin microfibers comprise at least 75% dry weight keratin, and wherein said keratin microfibers have a length of between 20 μm and 200 μm and a diameter of between 1 μm and 10 μm, and wherein said keratin microfibers comprise hollow cylindrical structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.