A New Functional Food Additive - Biomass Obtained by Bioconversion of Apple Juice Production Waste

Global climate change and related environmental problems require the development of new approaches and concepts for sustainable development of the environment. One of the possible ways to solve the mentioned problem is a new economic model-circular bioeconomy, which allows the bioconversion of a colossal amount of waste generated in agro-industry. Unpredictable population growth, massive urbanization and industrialization, as well as a high-protein diet, have all caused protein consumption to an exponential increase in recent years. Experts anticipate that pressure from demographic, societal, and economic reasons will lead to protein consumption to decline even further in the near future. Conflicts around the world, climate change, increased food prices, poor nutrition, alack of protein, and micronutrients, among other factors, will make the problem of food shortage worse [1],[2],[3]. Based on this, the global scientific community is working intensively to find alternate solutions to the food scarcity. Nowadays, one of the most convenient, safe, and rapidly implemented technologies for replenishing food protein deficiency is the biotransformation of cellulose-containing raw materials (agricultural and food industry wastes) into protein-rich biomass and various valuable secondary metabolites of microbial origin [4]. Filamentous fungi attract special attention among the mass producers of valuable biologically active compounds of plant origin [5]. This group of microorganisms is regarded as an efficient producer of protein and physiologically active compounds due to their high ability to penetrate the substrate via their mycelium, the ability to synthesize some essential amino acids, semi-unsaturated linoleic and linolenic acids, various vitamins, and polysaccharides with pharmaceutical properties. In addition, they are highly valued in terms of nutrition and palatability [6],[7],[8]. Functional food products, rich in bioactive substances (proteins, lipids, vitamins, etc.) are especially demandable and popular at the market. Because of its easy reach and low cost the waste of apple juice industry, produced in thousand tons in Georgia, may be regarded as a perspective raw material for functional food industry. Together with the utilization of the waste, food supplements rich in protein and biologically active compounds may be prepared by the microbial conversion of the mentioned waste, which would make the industry even more profitable [9],[10].[11].

The microscopic fungus Fusarium venenatum is regarded as the most effective producer of commercial mycoprotein today. Due to its fast growth, filamentous structure, high protein content in biomass, absence of pigments, odors and toxins the fungus is recognized as the best producer of alternative protein.[12],[13][14]

The bioconversion of plant-origin waste with fungi is viewed as areal chance to alleviate the food scarcity and preserve the environment in accordance with all of the aforementioned points. Certainly, in this kind of technology, the industrial strain is crucial [15],[16]. Therefore, it is especially critical to find a potential perfect producer, optimize its cultivation conditions and develop the technological bases for the production feed additive [17],[18].

To reveal an active protein producer among the fungi of the genus Fusarium in the collection of microscopic fungi of the Durmishidze Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology of the Agrarian University of Georgia and bioconversion of apple juice industry waste into mycoprotein-rich biomass and other bioactive compounds with the selected strain, was the aim of the presented research.