Claims for Patent: 8,574,889

Summary for Patent: 8,574,889

Title:	Method for processing biological material
Abstract:	The invention provides a process for producing ammonia or ammonium from an organic material, the method by contacting the organic material with at least one hydrolytic enzyme, in a medium, to produce a medium including hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed organic material suitable for microbial fermentation. The hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed medium with organic material is then fermented in the presence of at least one microorganism capable of ammonification, wherein the fermenting is under conditions, and for a sufficient period of time, to produce a fermentation product that comprises ammonia or ammonium. The organic material includes nitrogenous compounds suitable for conversion to ammonia or ammonium.
Inventor(s):	Latvala; Veikko (Vahto, FI), Ketola; Ari (Espoo, FI), Oskanen; Ilona (Helsinki, FI), Koskenniemi; Kerttu (Helsinki, FI), Laaksonen; Maiju (Helsinki, FI), Lensu; Elisa (Espoo, FI)
Assignee:	Ductor Oy (Helsinki, FI)
Application Number:	13/722,228
Patent Claims:	1. A process for producing ammonia or ammonium from an organic material, the method comprising: (a) contacting the organic material with at least one hydrolytic enzyme, in an aqueous medium, to produce a hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed organic material suitable for microbial fermentation, in the aqueous medium; (b) fermenting the product of step (a) in the presence of at least one microorganism capable of ammonification, wherein the fermenting is under conditions, and for a sufficient period of time, to produce a fermentation product that comprises ammonia or ammonium; wherein the organic material comprises nitrogenous compounds suitable for conversion to ammonia or ammonium; and wherein the microorganism is a bacterial isolate selected from the group consisting of a bacterial isolate deposited as VTT-E-123272, a bacterial isolate deposited as VTT-E-123273, and combinations thereof. 2. The process of claim. 1, wherein step (b) is conducted with a medium enriched with a carbohydrate suitable for promoting microbial growth. 3. The process of claim 1, wherein the bacterial isolate is deposited as VTT-E-123272. 4. The process of claim 1, wherein the bacterial isolate is deposited as VTT-E-123273. 5. The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrolytic enzyme is selected from the group consisting of an amylase, cellulase, protease, phytase and combinations thereof. 6. The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrolytic enzyme is selected from the group consisting of Alcalase.RTM., Aspergillus oryzae acidic protease, Aspergillus oryzae alkaline protease, Bacillus clausil protease, Bacillus lentus protease, Bacillus stearothemophilis protease, Bacillus subtillus protease, bromelain, collagenase type 2, Flavourzyme.RTM. protease mix from Aspergillus oryzae, papain, pepsin, proteinase K, porcine pancrease trypsin and combinations thereof. 7. The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrolytic enzyme is a Flavourzyme.RTM. present in the medium in a concentration of about 300 mU through about 40,000 mU. 8. The process of claim 1, further comprising recovering ammonia or ammonium from the fermentation product. 9. The process of claim 8, wherein the ammonia or ammonium is recovered mechanically or is precipitated. 10. The process of claim 8, wherein the ammonia or ammonium is recovered by the steps of: (a) dehydrating the fermentation product to provide a dry fermentation product; (b) collecting ammonia or ammonium-water or gas mixture released during the dehydrating step (a); and (c) recovering the ammonia or ammonium. 11. The process of claim 8 that further comprises: (d) converting the recovered ammonia or ammonium to a unified form; and (e) recovering the unified form; wherein the unified form is selected from the group consisting of: ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, ammonium chloride, ammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate and monoammonium phosphate and combinations thereof. 12. The process of claim 1, wherein the nitrogenous compounds are amines or proteins. 13. The process of claim 1 wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of meat-and bone meal (MBM), slaughterhouse waste, whey, municipal waste, fish meal, food industry waste streams and combinations thereof. 14. The process of claim 1 wherein the food industry waste streams are selected from the group consisting of meals of meat-and-bone, fish, and feathers, beet root, legumes, fruit, and sugar industry waste. 15. The process of claim 1 wherein the fermenting step is conducted at a pH ranging from about pH 2 through about 14 and at a temperature ranging from about 20.degree. C. through about 70.degree. C. 16. The process of claim 15 wherein fermenting step is conducted at a pH ranging from about pH 6.0 to about pH 9.0, and at a temperature ranging from about 30.degree. C. to about 45.degree. C. 17. The process of claim 1 wherein the MBM is present in the hydrolysis step in a concentration ranging from about 50 g/l to about 250 g/l. 18. The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrolysis step is conducted at a pH ranging from about pH 2 through about pH 14, and at a temperature ranging from about 20.degree. C. through about 80.degree. C. 19. The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrolysis step is conducted at a pH ranging from about 5 through about pH 9, and at a temperature ranging from about 45.degree. C. through about 60.degree. C. 20. An isolated Clostridium bacterial strain deposited as VTT-E-123272. 21. An isolated Clostridium bacterial strain deposited as VTT-E-123273. 22. The process of claim 1, wherein the MBM is obtained by a process comprising pressure sterilizing, drying and defatting waste products of animal processing. 23. The process of claim 22 wherein the waste products of animal processing are selected from the group consisting of feathers, hair, wool, horn, hooves, skin, meat, bone and combinations thereof.

Details for Patent 8,574,889

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Smith & Nephew, Inc.	SANTYL	collagenase	Ointment	101995	06/04/1965		2039-03-29