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Biotechnology in food production
Biotechnology increasingly extends its reach into very diverse sectors, including pharmaceuticals, fuels, plastics, materials, and food products. Biofood products include novel enzymes that have a profound influence on food texture and flavor, and supermarket shelves now routinely carry alternative proteins like mycoprotein made by fermentation as replacements for traditional meat and dairy. For bio-based foods to become a cost-effective alternative to animal products the industry will need to optimize production efficiency in the manner that the pharmaceutical industry has, and it is here that Process Analytical Technology (PAT) plays a pivotal role. PAT revolves around the real-time monitoring of critical quality attributes (CQAs) and process parameters (CPPs) to elevate production efficiency in the biofood industry.
Biofood products:
- Enzymes: Traditionally sourced from animal by-products and plant extracts, enzymes have evolved with the advent of microbial fermentation, revolutionizing food attributes.
- Alternative Proteins: Notably, mycoprotein made through fermentation has disrupted the food industry by offering sustainable dietary alternatives to conventional meat, seafood, and dairy products.
Challenges and solutions:
- The biofood industry grapples with the dual challenges of addressing consumer concerns and optimizing production efficiency.
- Process Analytical Technology (PAT): This innovative approach centers on the real-time monitoring of critical quality attributes (CQAs) and process parameters (CPPs) to bolster production efficiency.
Gas analysis with Mass Spectrometry (MS)
- Gas analysis, particularly through Mass Spectrometry (MS), assumes a pivotal role in the real-time monitoring of fermentation processes.
- MS delivers exceptional precision in measuring the respiratory gases oxygen, carbon dioxide, inert gases like nitrogen and argon, and a spectrum of volatiles including methanol and ethanol.
- The integration of MS with a multi-stream sample selector amplifies its efficiency by enabling the rapid monitoring of multiple fermentors by a single analyzer thereby driving down the cost of PAT implementation.
- Online analytics, complemented by the precision of MS, spearheads a new era of bio-based food innovation, squarely addressing the surging demand for sustainable dietary choices.
- From the transformative impact of enzymes on food properties to the ascendancy of alternative proteins in reducing reliance on traditional animal-derived products, the biofood industry charts a course toward a brighter and more sustainable future.
Featured products
Prima PRO
Learn more about gas analysis and biofood production
Thermo Scientific Prima PRO is currently the world’s leading process mass spectrometer, designed to operate reliably in harsh production environments and backed up with an industry-best three year warranty. Features include:
- Scanning magnetic sector technology for fast, flexible, precise multi-component analysis.
- Concentrations of respiratory gases, inerts and volatiles can be measured in seconds with high levels of precision.
- 32- or 64-port Rapid Multistream Sampler (RMS) for fast, reliable monitoring of multiple fermenters and bioreactors.
- 21 CFR Part 11 compliant GasWorks software.
- Built-in air conditioner means Prima PRO can operate reliably over a wide ambient temperature range.
Prima BT
Scalable solution
To support efforts from R&D through to full production scale, we have magnetic sector mass spectrometry solutions in the Thermo Scientific Prima BT Bench Top Process Mass Spectrometer and the Thermo Scientific Prima PRO Process Mass Spectrometer.
Prima PRO 710
Learn more about industrial process optimization and multi-stream gas analysis
Thermo Scientific Prima PRO 710 is a next-generation process mass spectrometer designed for high-performance gas analysis in demanding industrial environments. Built on trusted scanning magnetic sector technology and enhanced with a user-friendly touchscreen, it delivers fast, reliable insights while reducing the need for multiple analyzers. Features include:
- Scanning magnetic sector technology for accurate, stable, multi-component analysis with minimal maintenance.
- Touchscreen interface for simplified operation, easy access to real-time data, and efficient system control.
- Rapid Multistream Sampler (RMS) supports up to 127 gas streams for flexible system coverage.
- Optional Variable Pressure Inlet enables direct sampling from 1000 mBar to 0.3 mBar.
- Fast, precise measurements of key gases help improve process control and reduce operational costs.
- Scalable model options to meet the needs of various industries including chemical, biotech, steel, and clean energy.
Featured Resources
How online process analytics are assisting the Biofoods industry
Five Reasons to use Process Mass Spectrometry in Biotechnology
Fermentation elevated: precision analytics with mass spectrometry in the bio food revolution
Video spotlight
Improve fermentation processes with precision analytics
Watch this on-demand webinar to learn how process analytical technology (PAT) tools like automated mass spectrometry are transforming fermentation in biofood production.
The speakers are Professor Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Proteins and Dan Merriman from Thermo Fisher Scientific. They discuss fermentation in biofood development and how precision analytics help producers overcome common challenges such as data lag, inconsistent batch quality and scaling inefficiencies.
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