Methods and Compositions for Digestion of Organic Waste
The present invention relates to a process wherein organic material derived from plant and animal material is processed to recover nutritional elements. In particular, there is provided a process for releasing nutritional elements from plant and animal material comprising the steps of treating the material with one or more enzymes to digest said material under appropriate conditions and separating the resulting liquid hydrolysate from the undigested material.
1 . A process for the release of nutritional elements from organic waste comprising the steps of:
(a) adding to said organic waste at least one enzyme or at least one mixture of enzymes;
(b) incubating the organic waste of step (a) under appropriate conditions resulting in at least partial release of the nutritional elements as a liquid hydrolysate; and
(c) separation of the undigested waste from the resulting liquid hydrolysate.
2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the organic waste is fresh food waste.
3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein at least two or more, such as three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten enzymes are added to the organic waste in step (a).
4 . The process of claim 3 , wherein the two or more enzymes are added together or sequentially to the organic waste in step (a).
5 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the two or more enzymes are selected from the group consisting of xylanase, asparaginase, cellulase, hemicellulase, glumayase, beta-glumayase (endo-1,3(4)-), urease, protease, lipase, amylase, phytase, phosphatase, aminopeptidase, amylase, carbohydrase, carboxypeptidase, catalase, chitinase, cutinase, cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase, deoxyribonuclease, esterase, alpha-galactosidase, beta-galactosidase, glucoamylase, alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase, haloperoxidase, invertase, laccase, mannosidase, oxidase, glucose oxidase, pectinolytic enzyme, pectinesterase, peptidoglutaminase, peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, proteolytic enzyme, protease, ribonuclease and transglutaminase.
6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the enzymes are selected from the group consisting of enzymes originating from microbial fermentation, enzymes derived from a microorganism, and enzymes derived from plants.
7 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) is under a constant movement.
8 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the incubating organic waste of step (b) is between 70° F. and 162° F.
9 . The process according to claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the incubating organic waste of step (b) is between 125° F. and 140° F.
10 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) is incubated for between 0 hours and 2.5 hours.
11 . The process according to claim 10 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) is incubated for between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours.
12 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) outputs a liquid hydrolysate that is greater than 70 percent by weight relative to the weight of the input incubating organic waste.
13 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) outputs a liquid hydrolysate that is greater than 90 percent by weight relative to the weight of the input incubating organic waste.
14 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the separation step of step (c) excludes undigested material of greater than 1 millimeter in diameter from the liquid hydrolysate.
15 . The process according to claim 14 , wherein the separation step of step (c) excludes undigested material of greater than 0.5 millimeter in diameter from the liquid hydrolysate.
16 . A process for the release of nutritional elements from organic waste comprising the steps of:
(a) adding to said organic waste at least one enzyme or at least one mixture of enzymes;
(b) incubating the organic waste of step (a) under appropriate conditions resulting in at least partial release of the nutritional elements as a liquid hydrolysate;
(c) separation of the undigested waste from the resulting liquid hydrolysate; and
(d) stabilization of the liquid hydrolysate resulting from step (c).
17 . The process of claim 16 , wherein the organic waste is fresh food waste.
18 . The process of claim 16 , wherein at least two or more, such as three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten enzymes are added to the organic waste in step (a).
19 . The process of claim 18 , wherein the two or more enzymes are added together or sequentially to the organic waste in step (a).
20 . The process of claim 19 , wherein the two or more enzymes are selected from the group consisting of xylanase, asparaginase, cellulase, hemicellulase, glumayase, beta-glumayase (endo-1,3(4)-), urease, protease, lipase, amylase, phytase, phosphatase, aminopeptidase, amylase, carbohydrase, carboxypeptidase, catalase, chitinase, cutinase, cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase, deoxyribonuclease, esterase, alpha-galactosidase, beta-galactosidase, glucoamylase, alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase, haloperoxidase, invertase, laccase, mannosidase, oxidase, glucose oxidase, pectinolytic enzyme, pectinesterase, peptidoglutaminase, peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, proteolytic enzyme, protease, ribonuclease and transglutaminase.
21 . The process of claim 16 , wherein the enzymes are selected from the group consisting of enzymes originating from microbial fermentation, enzymes derived from a microorganism, and enzymes derived from plants.
22 . The process according to claim 16 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) is under a constant movement.
23 . The process according to claim 16 , wherein the temperature of the incubating organic waste of step (b) is 70° F. and 162° F.
24 . The process according to claim 23 , wherein the temperature of the incubating organic waste of step (b) is 125° F. and 140° F.
25 . The process according to claim 16 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) is incubated for 0 and 2.5 hours.
26 . The process according to claim 25 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) is incubated for 45 minutes and 1.5 hours.
27 . The process according to claim 16 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) outputs a liquid hydrolysate that is greater than 70 percent by weight relative to the weight of the input incubating organic waste.
28 . The process according to claim 27 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) outputs a liquid hydrolysate that is greater than 90 percent by weight relative to the weight of the input incubating organic waste.
29 . The process according to claim 16 , wherein the separation step of step (c) excludes undigested material of greater than 1 millimeter in diameter from the liquid hydrolysate.
30 . The process according to claim 29 , wherein the separation step of step (c) excludes undigested material of greater than 0.5 millimeter in diameter from the liquid hydrolysate.
31 . The process according to claim 16 , wherein the stabilization step of step (d) comprises addition and mixing of the liquid hydrolysate with an acid source.
32 . The process according to claim 31 , wherein the acid source is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric, sulfuric, phosphoric, acetic, stearic, propionic, tartaric, maleic, benzoic, or succinic acids.
33 . The process according to claim 31 , wherein the pH of the liquid hydrolysate is less than 7.0.
34 . The process according to claim 33 , wherein the pH of the liquid hydrolysate is 3.5.
35 . A process for the release of nutritional elements from organic waste comprising the steps of:
(a) adding to said organic waste at least one enzyme or at least one mixture of enzymes;
(b) incubating the organic waste of step (a) under appropriate conditions resulting in at least partial release of the nutritional elements as a liquid hydrolysate;
(c) coarse separation of the undigested waste from the resulting liquid hydrolysate;
(d) stabilization of the liquid hydrolysate resulting from step (c); and
(e) fine separation of the undigested waste from the resulting liquid hydrolysate.
36 . The process of claim 35 , wherein the organic waste is fresh food waste.
37 . The process of claim 35 , wherein at least two or more, such as three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten enzymes are added to the organic waste in step (a).
38 . The process of claim 37 , wherein the two or more enzymes are added together or sequentially to the organic waste in step (a).
39 . The process of claim 38 , wherein the two or more enzymes are selected from the group consisting of xylanase, asparaginase, cellulase, hemicellulase, glumayase, beta-glumayase (endo-1,3(4)-), urease, protease, lipase, amylase, phytase, phosphatase, aminopeptidase, amylase, carbohydrase, carboxypeptidase, catalase, chitinase, cutinase, cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase, deoxyribonuclease, esterase, alpha-galactosidase, beta-galactosidase, glucoamylase, alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase, haloperoxidase, invertase, laccase, mannosidase, oxidase, glucose oxidase, pectinolytic enzyme, pectinesterase, peptidoglutaminase, peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, proteolytic enzyme, protease, ribonuclease and transglutaminase.
40 . The process of claim 35 , wherein the enzymes are selected from the group consisting of enzymes originating from microbial fermentation, enzymes derived from a microorganism, and enzymes derived from plants.
41 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) is under a constant movement.
42 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein the temperature of the incubating organic waste of step (b) is 70° F. and 162° F.
43 . The process according to claim 42 , wherein the temperature of the incubating organic waste of step (b) is 125° F. and 140° F.
44 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) is incubated for between 0 hours and 2.5 hours.
45 . The process according to claim 44 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) is incubated for between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours.
46 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) outputs a liquid hydrolysate that is greater than 70 percent by weight relative to the weight of the input incubating organic waste.
47 . The process according to claim 46 , wherein the incubating organic waste of step (b) outputs a liquid hydrolysate that is greater than 90 percent by weight relative to the weight of the input incubating organic waste.
48 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein the separation step of step (c) excludes undigested material of greater than 1 millimeter in diameter from the liquid hydrolysate.
49 . The process according to claim 48 , wherein the separation step of step (c) excludes undigested material of greater than 0.5 millimeter in diameter from the liquid hydrolysate.
50 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein the stabilization step of step (d) comprises addition and mixing of the liquid hydrolysate with an acid source.
51 . The process according to claim 50 , wherein the acid source is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric, sulfuric, phosphoric, acetic, stearic, propionic, tartaric, maleic, benzoic, or succinic acids.
52 . The process according to claim 50 , wherein the pH of the liquid hydrolysate is less than 7.0.
53 . The process according to claim 52 , wherein the pH of the liquid hydrolysate is 3.5.
54 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein the separation step of step (e) excludes undigested material of greater than 300 microns in diameter from the liquid hydrolysate.
55 . The process according to claim 54 , wherein the separation step of step (e) excludes undigested material of greater than 149 microns in diameter from the liquid hydrolysate.
56 . The process according to claims 1 , 16 , or 35 , wherein the organic waste of step (a) is first ground into particles less than ⅜ inch in diameter.
57 . The process according to claims 1 , 16 , or 35 , wherein the liquid hydrolysate is used as a nutraceutical, organic fertilizer, pharmaceutical, aquaculture feed, animal feed, or biostimulant.