Currently, the disposal of food waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, as decomposition in landfills releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and incineration produces carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
Beenish Saba, a research scientist in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering at The Ohio State University, is working to harness industrial food processing waste, which is often discarded in landfills or incinerated, and convert it into valuable platform chemicals through innovative fermentation techniques, including both conventional and electro-fermentation.
Saba recently secured two grants to help her with the valuable research. She received a nearly $200,000 fund from the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) for electro-fermentation of food and algae waste blend to produce biochemicals. OWDA provides financial assistance for environmental infrastructure for qualified projects in Ohio.
She also received $15,000 additional funds from the Center for Advanced Processing and Packaging Studies (CAPPS), an Ohio State-based National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative. CAPPS is designed to foster partnerships between industry and universities for the mutual benefit of both parties and the advancement of food processing and packaging research. This builds on the $60,000 her team received from CAPPS in May 2023.
By developing a streamlined process to transform this waste into useful biochemicals, Saba's project aims not only to reduce the environmental impact of food disposal but also to support the sustainable production of chemicals. These platform chemicals have the potential to replace petroleum-derived products, thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels and further decreasing carbon emissions.
Ultimately, the project seeks to address both waste management and climate change mitigation by turning waste streams into valuable resources that align with a circular economy model, fostering environmental and economic sustainability.