3 Important Facts About Bioproducts

“3 Important Facts About Bioproducts”

Before we start, it's important to address what exactly a bioproduct is, it can be best defined as a product that comes from renewable resources such as waste or crops. The word bioproduct can be seen as a blanket term. There are so many different and specialized areas of bioproducts such as biodiesel, biomass, and bioplastics. I’ll provide three main points about bioproducts such as what are some examples, processes that make them, and how sustainable they are. 

Firstly, what are some bioproducts in our everyday lives? MSG is something that many consume as it is often found in Chinese food, canned food, and meats that have been processed. While this isn't a brand name, isopropyl alcohol can be found at the store in different concentrations and is used in hand sanitizers and cleaners (Lesson 19). Ethanol is mixed with gas and can be used for heating and transportation purposes and is sourced from corn and wheat (Ontario). 

Next, we will discuss what processes are used to make various bioproducts. Firstly let's talk about fermentation. This is a process when sugars are broken down due to a lack of oxygen by enzymes. This happens in microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. There are three types of fermentation: lactic acid, ethanol, and acetic acid fermentation (Lab Manager).  I'll focus on describing ethanol or alcohol fermentation right now. Yeast is the microorganism in this process ethanol being a byproduct of its conversion of glucose into carbon dioxide under anaerobic conditions. The glucose provided to the yeast can vary, then the yeast is allowed to convert for as long as it likes until fermentation is stopped. Then yeast is separated from other products in the solution and the ethanol is left over (Lesson 19). This is a fascinating concept because it takes something so small as yeast and creates a fuel source used to power cities. Another interesting process is the thermochemical conversion for biomass which is just the breakdown of molecules for the creation of biofuels. The three things that occur in this process are combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis. Combustion involves burning something that weathers its wood or sawdust. Gasification turns biomass into syngas under conditions of high heat and low oxygen. Pyrolysis creates gas bubbles in the biomass which breaks it down (Lesson 21). All these processes involve heat and oxygen to convert biomass into the desired product.  

Lastly, let's discuss the sustainability of bioproducts. One very important bioproduct is insulin which can be created from genetically modified yeast but more recently has been able to be manufactured through safflower. During 2021 the world experienced a surge in demand for insulin meaning that a new, efficient method of production would be needed to meet this demand. “SemBioSys says it can make more than one kilogram of human insulin per acre of safflower production. That amount could treat 2,500 diabetic patients for one year and meet the world's total projected insulin demand in 2010 with less than 16,000 acres of safflower production” (Foodingredientsfirst) this is a sustainable way to use biomass to create a highly demanded pharmaceutical. Transparent wood is another important product to discuss as it is not only cool but known for its sustainability. Researchers were able to remove lignin from the tubes inside the wood and fill them with chemicals such as epoxy to create strong and transparent wood (Lesson 22). Transparent wood is being considered for many things such as replacing plastic or being implemented in normal construction. 

Bioproducts are captivating and a testament to human evolution as we have taken some of the most basic forms of biomass and created pharmaceuticals and fuel out of it. With more technical advances this can create a cleaner earth as well as more sustainable consumerism for us all. 

Resources

Introduction to Bioproducts. www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/10-013w.htm. 

Lesson 19 Fermentation, BBE 1002, UMN

Lesson 22 Other Biobased Products, BBE 1002, UMN

Lesson 21 Other Pathways to Products, BBE 1002, UMN

Levac, Krysta. “How Is Ethanol Made?” Let’s Talk Science, 13 Aug. 2018, letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/backgrounders/how-ethanol-made. 

Safflower Insulin - Google Zoeken. www.google.com/search?q=safflower+insulin. 

Tay, Andy, PhD. “The Science of Fermentation.” Lab Manager, 2 Sept. 2021, www.labmanager.com/insights/the-science-of-fermentation-1432. 

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