Microorganisms for sustainable food production, environmental conservation and food security

School of Chemical Engineering

University of Birmingham

Current Environmental Issues

Climate change

Biodiversity loss

Environmental Pollution

Food waste

Challenges of the current global food supply system

Food scarcity

Malnutrition

Environmental cost of food production

Green house gas emission (14.5%)

What we are doing at HeTa to address these issues

Microbial based food production

• Single cell proteins
• Algae based flour formulation for the baking industry

Bioremediation of heavy metals in Water/Wastewater

• Bio-recovery using E.coli

Food Safety

• Antimicrobial peptides for food shelf-life extension
• Industry collaboration for safer foods (biofilm detection and novel technologies for decontamination)

Food waste valourisation

• Extraction of useful industrial materials from food wastes (coffee, egg shell)

Algae based flour formulation for the baking industry�

Rich source of Single –cell protein

Large scale fermentation for biomass and desirable metabolites

Algae flour

Research focus

• Algae strain selection and improvement

• Optimization of algae methods for improved yield and productivity.

• Fortification for higher nutritional value.

• New product formulation.

Bioremediation & Bio-recovery of heavy metals in Water/Wastewater�

Biomass/Heavy metal recovery

Chronic oil/metal pollution of rivers and water bodies

Shake flask cultivation of E. coli with contaminated water

Portable water free of heavy metal

E. coli for heavy metal accumulation

Antimicrobial peptides for food preservation�

Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria that kill/inhibit other microorganisms

Lactic acid bacteria

Large scale fermentation

microencapsulation

Active packaging

Extended shelf-life

Reducing/Valorizing food waste

Over a third of all food produced globally (~2.5 billion tons) is lost or wasted each year.

Land fills

Useful bioproducts

Food Waste Valourisation

Food production

Wheat

Cocoa beans

Coffee beans

Food industry

Products

Beer

Coffee

Chocolate

By product/ Food waste

• Damage environment
• Huge waste of money/Energy

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• Environmentally friendly methods
• Shorter operating times
• High yield and quality of extracts

Reduces cost

Food recycling

Sustainability

Natural food additives

Functional food

Conclusion

• In conclusion, HeTa is actively addressing critical environmental issues by implementing innovative solutions to food and agricultural processes.
• Our efforts directly target key concerns such as food waste, water pollution, climate change, and resource conservation.
• Through the production of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria, algae-based flour formulations, bioremediation of heavy metals and reducing/valorising food waste, we are taking tangible steps towards mitigating these environmental challenges.
• By prioritizing sustainable practices and optimizing resource usage, we aim to contribute to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future, safeguarding ecosystems, reducing pollution, and promoting a healthier planet for generations to come.

Additional Information: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/chemical-engineering/food-safety-hygiene.aspx

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Email: h.onyeaka@bham.ac.uk

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THANK YOU