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Cargill operates multiple fermentation lines for products such as ethanol, lactic and citric acids, ketogluconic acid, and erythritol. Across these plants, a recurring set of performance metrics governs success: achieving high fermentation and downstream yield, reducing filter-aid and other consumables, limiting natural-gas/steam and electrical power use.
Opportunities for improvement exist across several steps of the production processes. Enhancing oxygen transfer and agitation efficiency could increase volumetric productivity in aerobic systems, while advances in solids-liquid clarification could reduce product losses and lower the use of filter aids. Likewise, optimization of thermal operations used for concentration and dehydration presents additional potential to reduce natural gas and steam demand and improve overall energy efficiency.
We are looking for manufacturing technologies, equipment, and process innovations that can improve the performance of fermentation-based production lines for products such as ethanol, lactic and citric acids, ketogluconic acid, and erythritol. We are open to practical, scalable innovations that enhance fermentation and downstream yield, reduce consumable usage, and/or improve energy and resource efficiency across key operations such as fermentation, clarification/filtration, and distillation/concentration.
- Media preparation and nutrient packages
- Solutions around process yield and productivity
- Foam and contamination control systems for fermentation stability
- Membrane or hybrid clarification that reduces diatomaceous earth consumption
- High-efficiency aeration or agitation equipment for improved oxygen transfer
- Power-efficient aeration and agitation systems for reduced energy demand
- Low concentration recovery technologies for organic acid purification
- Solid-liquid separation technologies
- Energy-efficient distillation or evaporation systems
- Inline sensors and digital controls for optimized fermentation performance
- Novel liquid–liquid separation or extraction technologies
- Improves operational efficiency or sustainability by enhancing fermentation or downstream yield, reducing natural gas, steam, or power consumption, or lowering filter-aid and chemical use
- Scalable and compatible with industrial-scale fermentation systems
- Industrial scale deployment feasible within the next 3 to 24 months
- Demonstrated in comparable fermentation or bioprocessing environments
- Adaptable across different fermentation products or process configurations
- Non-scalable lab concepts without industrial feasibility
- Innovations focused on new product creation rather than process improvement
Our global team includes more than 1,500 research, development, applications, technical services and intellectual property specialists working in more than 200 locations. Together, they provide a spectrum of services encompassing technical service, applications, development, research, intellectual asset management, and scientific and regulatory affairs.
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