Carlos Soccol

Federal University of Paraná | UFPR · Departamento de Engenharia de Bioprocessos e Biotecnologia

It is estimated that a third of the food produced for human consumption is wasted worldwide, and a significant portion of it is lost during various stages of the supply chain stages. The rising food demand alongside population increase has contributed to high waste generation. The mismanagement and incorrect disposal of such waste streams raise con...

Biotechnology is increasingly being used as a tool to replace traditional production methods due to concerns about the increasing damage caused by global warming. Bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and microalgae are microorganisms able to transform residues into value-added bioproducts. They produce microbial biomass that can result in the production of sev...

Trichoderma spp. have shown significant biocontrol potential against various phytopathogens in different crops, making them a promising strategy for sustainable crop protection. To isolate new Trichoderma strains with biocontrol potential, thirty-nine isolates from different climatic conditions were obtained from soil samples collected from crops a...

Thraustochytrids are emerging as a valuable biomass source for high-quality omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), crucial for both human and animal nutrition. This research focuses on cultivating Schizochytrium limacinum SR21 using cost-effective agro-industrial by-products, namely sugarcane molasses (SCM), corn steep liquor (CSL), and resid...

Natural vinegar fermentation is a complex process influenced by the interplay between microbial communities and metabolites. This study examined the interplay between the microbiome and the metabolome over a three-month period, with samples collected every ten days. Using Illumina sequencing and chromatographic techniques (HPLC and GC-MS), we mappe...

Algae, recognized for their nutritional value and versatility, are increasingly integrated into various food products, reflecting growing consumer awareness and demand for healthier, environmentally friendly options. Seaweed species, renowned for their high protein content1 and beneficial amino acid composition, have long been valued as significant...

The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies represented a watershed moment in microbiological research, opening up the possibility to study sub-dominant groups, late-growing species, and previously uncultivable microorganisms within the fermentation process. The first NGS platform developed was the Roche 454. Since then, DNA sequenc...

Interest in the technology for producing alternative proteins is rapidly increasing, driven by the need to find new ways to produce and consume protein for the global population. This technology involves growing different microorganisms and animal cells under controlled conditions to ensure their viability and efficient growth. The cultivation proc...

Agriculture is essential for nutrition and the global economy, becoming increasingly important due to population growth and higher food demand. This situation boosts interest in creating bioproducts that enhance productivity sustainably while reducing environmental issues and strain on natural resources. Bioinoculants are important innovations that...

The recovery of resources from agro-industrial waste from the sugar and alcohol industry, such as vinasse, is an important strategy to promote sustainability and mitigate negative environmental impacts. In this scenario, microalgae represent a potential alternative for the biological treatment of sugarcane vinasse. In the current study, vinasse was...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms have emerged as transformative tools for enhancing efficiency and sustainability in biomass thermochemical conversion processes such as pyrolysis, gasification, and hydrothermal liquefaction. These processes produce valuable energy products like bio-oil, syngas, and biochar, signific...

This study explores the potential of Kappaphycus alvarezii (KA) as a bioethanol feedstock due to its advantageous properties, such as high growth rates, significant carbohydrate content, and lack of lignin. Hydrolysis conditions were optimized using a central composite design, achieving a peak sugar yield of 41.938 g/L at 126°C, 3% sulfuric acid, a...

The research in biotechnology explores new microbial sources for industrial applications, from food production to waste conversion into bioenergy. The search for promising microorganisms in natural environments drives these advancements, linked to the development of new processes and bioengineering. In this context, the aim of this study is to biop...

Citation: Albuquerque, M.M.; Sartor, G.d.B.; Martinez-Burgos, W.J.; Scapini, T.; Edwiges, T.; Soccol, C.R.; Medeiros, A.B.P. Biohydrogen Produced via Dark Fermentation: A Review. Methane 2024, 3, 500-532. https:// Abstract: Hydrogen (H 2) is a highly efficient and clean energy source with the potential for renewable energy. The production of H 2 fr...

The expanding field of alternative proteins represents a transformative approach to addressing global food security and sustainability challenges. Among these, fermentation-derived alternative proteins cultivated from microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and algae offer a promising avenue for sustainable protein production. This review explores...

This chapter delves into the prospect of commercializing drop-in biofuels. Recognizing the need to transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner sources of energy, it highlights the significance of global goals for mitigating climate change and achieving sustainability targets. In this context, drop-in biofuels emerge as a promising solution. Howeve...

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is an alternative to traditional fossil-based jet fuel produced from renewable feedstocks, such as forestry and agricultural residues, used oils, and algae, where they are essential to avoid competition with food production and reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation sector. The SAF market is currently limited du...

The world urgently requires decarbonizing its energy matrix. However, areas such as industry and transportation will likely rely on high-energy-density liquid fuels in the near future. Drop-in biofuels offer a sustainable solution that seamlessly integrates with existing pipelines, supply chains, and current applications. Examples include bioethano...

The Microbiology of the Drop-in Biofuel Production is a comprehensive resource that provides basic and applied knowledge, technologies, and regulations of current drop-in biofuel production. This book focuses on liquid drop-in biofuel produced through the biochemical process and all the important aspects like renewable substrates, biochemical route...

Industrial production of microalgae requires large volumes of water. Agro-industry wastewaters are generated in large volumes and must be adequately treated. The connection of both processes is only natural—conventional wastewater treatment processes end with a stabilizing pond that has a self-established microbiota, which includes microalgae. This...

Weeds cause significant agricultural losses worldwide, and herbicides have traditionally been the main solution to this problem. However, the extensive use of herbicides has led to multiple cases of weed resistance, which could generate an increase in the application concentration and consequently a higher persistence in the environment, hindering...

Background Building on the success of traditional fermented foods, the coffee industry has experienced a surge in research on the use of yeast in coffee bean fermentation. As the coffee industry continually seeks innovative approaches, it becomes crucial to understand the nuances of yeast’s impact on coffee quality. Scope and approach This review...

The leishmaniases represent a group of chronic diseases with epidemiological diversity and a broad clinical spectrum that affect 350 million people worldwide. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are the best tools for controlling the disease. Immunological methods have been widely used as a screening tool for diagnosis. In this work a platfor...

Pesticides are generally synthetic compounds used in agriculture to combat diseases caused by pests in crops and at the same time increase productivity. Around 2.7 million tons of these compounds are applied around the world each year. Nevertheless, the intensified use of agrotoxics can cause severe impacts in different environmental matrices, main...

Physical and chemical parameters, if used in an isolated way, may not reflect the actual state of water quality, nor the effect of contaminants on aquatic biota. Thus, biological tools have been developed and applied to assess the water quality and the effects of the contaminants on various aspects of the biology of living beings exposed to these s...

The market for microbial gums such as xanthan, gellan, dextran, and curdlan is continuously expanding, driven by their increasing application in various industries including petroleum, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food, with the latter accounting for approximately 50% of global usage. To meet the growing demand and improve sustainability, there...

The present work aimed to use cocoa pod husk (CPH) and its extracted pectin as a potential substrate for the production of pectinase and to test the enzyme produced in the clarification process of apple juice. CPH with a particle size of <0.84 mm was employed for pectinase production by a selected strain of Aspergillus niger NRRL 2270. The optimiza...

Enzymes play a pivotal role in meat processing and maturation, starting with endogenous enzymes that catalyse a partial proteolysis in natural meat that enhances texture and flavor, to exogenous enzymes that may be incorporated for additional processing. Therefore, a question is raised whether endogenous and exogenous proteases could be used to imp...

Research into microbial interactions during coffee processing is essential for developing new methods that adapt to climate change and improve flavor, thus enhancing the resilience and quality of global coffee production. This study aimed to investigate how microbial communities interact and contribute to flavor development in coffee processing wit...

Microalgae-mediated industrial flue gas biofixation has been widely discussed as a clean alternative for greenhouse gas mitigation. Through photosynthetic processes, microalgae can fix carbon dioxide (CO2) and other compounds and can also be exploited to obtain high value-added products in a circular economy. One of the major limitations of this bi...

Animal cell culture has marked a significant revolution in science, allowing different fields to benefit from its use. The aim of this chapter is to introduce animal cell culture, covering its main advances over the years, its main applications, such as the use of animal cell culture for vaccine production, and to address the main challenges facing...

The interest in cultivated meat production technology is continually and exponentially growing, with the objective of providing new solutions for protein production and consumption globally. These processes involve the cultivation of animal cells, the peculiarities, and specificities of which demand controlled conditions to maintain viability and e...

Upscaling the production of cultured meat from laboratory flasks to an industrial scale is undeniably a great challenge, yet it is imperative for the process to achieve economic viability and commercial potential. The transition to a large-scale operation introduces a myriad of concerns spanning various themes, including the supply and storage of r...

In this chapter, we introduce the guiding ideas for this book, as well as a list of its content. The motivations for new food systems are diverse and complex and are presented here with the indication of selected further reading materials for those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the so-called “elephants in the room.” Then, introduc...

This chapter presents the technological mapping of cultivated meat production. A patent search was carried out in the Derwent Innovations Index Database using a combination of synonyms of “cultivated meat” in the field Topic. From this search, 219 documents were selected and classified according to the publication year, the countries of publication...

Cultivated meat production is being developed worldwide and is gaining traction. Whether the technology becomes a staple in the food industry, becomes a niche application, or takes an unforeseen turn remains to be seen. Early research in the field showed the feasibility of small-scale culturing cells and transforming them into meat-like products. T...

We envision the future landscape of cultivated meat and explore the key forces shaping this nascent industry. Delving into these pivotal forces, we ask a fundamental question: What are the key drivers likely to bring about the outcomes predicted by Gerhardt et al. (Ind Biotechnol 16(5):262–270, 2020) for 2040? We scrutinize these forces from divers...

The production of cultured meat or in vitro meat is a process developed in several stages, including the proliferation of mother cells and ex situ differentiation. This chapter will discuss the different mathematical models used to describe the stages of proliferation and differentiation in cultured meat production. In the first stages of the proce...

Waste management and environmental impacts remain fields that require assessment alongside the advances in cultivated meat production. Water and energy consumption, the demand for natural resources, and the generation of residues throughout the production chain must all be considered. These aspects can be more effectively adjusted in the early stag...

It is widely known that mushrooms present several properties with applications in the medicinal and pharmaceutical sectors, including antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, hypotensive, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities. This article aims to review examples of the bioactive metabolites responsible for those activities, such a...

Background Recombinant milk protein production is emerging as a pivotal innovation in the dairy industry, driven by the need for sustainable and ethically produced dairy alternatives. Traditional dairy production faces challenges such as greenhouse gas emissions, ethical concerns about animal welfare, and fluctuating productivity due to environment...

The combined inoculation of yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a promising approach to enhance microbial metabolism and the quality of fermented food products. In this study, we investigated the effects of simultaneous and sequential inoculation of LAB and yeast on coffee fermentation. Fermentations were conducted using single and combined pro...

The hemicellulosic fraction of lignocellulosic biomass is a very important material, due to the significant concentration of pentoses present in its composition and that can be used sustainably in biotechnological processes such as the production of fumaric acid. Research efforts are currently being promoted for the proper disposal and valorization...

The integration of sustainable technologies for energy generation in soybean biorefineries can enhance the bioeconomic performance of the production chain through the valorisation of agro-industrial residues. The aim of this work was to prepare a technological map of soybean ethanol technologies, forecasting the future of specific clusters related...

Population growth has generated an enormous increase in demand for energy and chemicals to supply goods and services and to maintain quality of life. Oil, coal, and natural gas are the primary sources of the chemicals and energy that directly impact the economy. However, the reserves of these resources are continuously reducing. New alternatives ha...

Xylanases are hydrolases that degrade xylan, one of the main components of lignocellulosic materials, which are present in agro-industrial and wood residues. Therefore, the reuse of these materials in a biorefinery and circular bioeconomy strongly depends on enzymatic degradation by different enzymes such as cellulases and xylanases. Xylanases are...

Palm oil, the main vegetable oil produced globally, serves diverse purposes, ranging from cooking to the production of processed foods, cosmetics, and biodiesel. Despite contributing significantly to the economies of major producing nations, the escalating production of palm oil raises serious environmental concerns, including deforestation, biodiv...

Colombia is one of the most important agricultural producers in the world. Coffee stands as one of the pivotal products within Colombian agriculture. However, the coffee agro chain is not as developed as in countries like Brazil. In Colombia, there exists a higher prevalence of artisanal procedures. Currently, the state of adoption and implementati...

Lutein, a yellow xanthophyll carotenoid, is increasingly recognized for its nutraceutical benefits, particularly in protecting the retina’s macula from age-related degeneration. Microalgae are a promising source of lutein, which can be a primary product or a coproduct in biorefineries. Certain microalgae exhibit lutein levels (up to 1.7%) surpassin...

The main objective of this study was to develop a citric acid-catalyzed hydrothermal pretreatment to reach the maximum sugar recovery from soybean hull (SH), in the context of a biorefi nery concept. A central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize pretreatment conditions through the analysis of citric acid concentration, time, and temperature...

Food demand will increase due to population growth, and, consequently, crop production will require different sources of essential nutrients such as phosphorus (P) to fulfill that demand. Phosphorus usually comes from the mining industries which are highly contaminant, and to reduce its consumption, alternative P sources like cattle bone meal (BM)...

Description of the subject. The use of non-Saccharomyces yeast for improving fine cocoa flavor perception has been poorly explored. Objectives. In this study, we investigated the contribution of the non-Saccharomyces yeasts producing β-glycosidase isolated from the spontaneous fermentation of cocoa to the quality and production of aromas during the...

The ex vitro hairy root system from petioles of detached soybean leaves allows the functional validation of genes using classical transgenesis and CRISPR strategies (e.g., sgRNA validation, gene activation) associated with nematode bioassays. Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated root transformation has been widely used in soybean for the functional va...

The global pandemic due to the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus has caused significant impact on various sectors of society, e.g., health, science, and economy, with a remarkable change in environmental aspects. The present study focused on an analysis of the spread of COVID-19 in South America, highlighting the impacts of lockdown policies on the air qualit...

In recent decades, environmental concerns have directed several policies, investments, and production processes. The search for sustainable and eco-friendly strategies is constantly increasing to reduce petrochemical product utilization, fossil fuel pollution, waste generation, and other major ecological impacts. The concepts of circular economy, b...

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22H32O2, C22:6 ω-3) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20H30O2 C20:5 ω-3), are biomolecules from the group of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). In recent decades, a large number of clinical and epidemiological studies have demonstrated the benefits of this molecule for improving human health and preventing variou...

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biomaterial with growing interest in the recent years, as it has many applications for food, cosmetics, drugs, and therapeutics industries. The reasons for this interest include unique material properties such as high mechanical resistance, water binding capacity, and biocompatibility. However, fermentation results in...

The need for a sustainable and circular bioeconomy model is imperative due to petroleum non-renewability, scarcity and environmental impacts. Biorefineries systems explore biomass to its maximum, being an important pillar for the development of circular bioeconomy. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) can take advantage of biorefineries, as they can be pro...

Bioreactors are central equipment used in the majority of bioprocesses. Different models of bioreactors have been developed for different processes, which can be applied either for submerged or for solid-state fermentation. Scale-up involves the development of bioprocess in bench, pilot, and industrial scales. Optimal conditions are first screened...

The commercial importance of lactic acid (LA) is due to its versatility, especially in the food industry, and for being the precursor of poly-lactic acid, which demands a high-quality LA precursor. The overall LA production process still has some bottlenecks related to costs; thus, alternative substrates such as sugarcane juice may reduce the cost...

The growing demand for bioproducts from algae is being met by constant improvement in mass cultivation and downstream. However, there still is a gap between the perceived possibilities of microalgal products and the reality of feasible and profitable production. In order to reach economic production of microalgae bioproducts such as biofuels, nutri...