Filters for organic yeast production
If organic, then consistent
Producing yeast without conventional chemical additives, based on organic grain and pure spring water, is a special task that Agrano has been solving at its plant in Germany since 1996. There, in a process unique worldwide, organic yeast is produced for the baking industry, for the food industry and for the natural-food trade, in accordance with the motto "If organic, then consistent!". The enterprise works with innovative fermentation methods, using a new generation of Donaldson sterile filters at various production levels.
Industry: Spring water Problem: A producer may claim that its water has «natural purity» only if it meets certain requirements and…
Today, 4,000 tons of organic yeast are produced, with a tendency to increase. This yeast differs from ordinary yeast mainly in the raw materials used. Managing director Ralf Bredenhöller: "The use of chemicals is completely excluded. We can do this because we are the only yeast factory in the world that can ferment under sterile conditions."
Yeast
When asked how the production of BIOREAL® organic yeast differs from the production of ordinary yeast, Marc Pflimlin, production manager at Agrano, also gave a clear answer: "Fermentation takes place without chemical additives, and organic sunflower oil is used as an antifoaming agent." Only strict adherence to the rules of hygiene and sterilization at each individual production stage – the production of the organic nutrient medium, sterilization, fermentation and harvesting – allows us to protect our organic products from any microbiological hazard. We have to rely especially on filtration technologies."
Filtration for ensuring high process and product safety
Donaldson's LifeTec™ PT N series sterile-air and gas filter elements provide aerobic maintenance of yeast cultures under sterile aeration to obtain the maximum possible biomass yield. The compressed air required for this, at a pressure of 2 bar, is generated by two oil-free screw compressors, cooled from 200 °C to 30 °C, fed into the pipeline network and then supplied in a metered manner through sterile filters located in the lower part of the fermenters. The oxygen in this compressed sterile air is sufficient for an optimal start of the biotechnological process without chemical additives.
Industry: Spring water Problem: A producer may claim that its water has «natural purity» only if it meets certain requirements and…
Air sterility is a factor that has a decisive influence on the safety of the process and the product. The filtration technology suitable for this must have a number of operational characteristics that ensure not only optimal safety but also a long service life of the filter elements. This is because after each batch, approximately every 30 hours, the LifeTec™ PT N sterile filters are sterilized for about 20 minutes with steam at 125 °C. To ensure that the steam is also free of particles, P-GSL N steam filters are used for each of the three production lines.
LifeTec™ membrane filters
The LifeTec™ PT N filter element is a pleated hydrophobic PTFE membrane filter with a highly porous membrane structure, designed for the sterile filtration of compressed air and other process gases. All components meet the requirements of the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations), Title 21 and (EU) No 1935/2004, regarding indirect contact with food products.
Industry: Spring water Problem: A producer may claim that its water has «natural purity» only if it meets certain requirements and…
The filter material is non-woven and is produced without the use of chemical additives. The robust design allows up to 150 sterilization cycles under the specified conditions and withstands high pressure drops in both flow directions. Another distinctive feature of the sterile filters is their drying characteristics. Dry blow-down and an immediate return to a low pressure drop after steam sterilization occur within a few seconds. This significantly reduces downtime, energy consumption and the mechanical load on the filter medium.
LifeTec™ P-GSL N steam filter
The LifeTec™ P-GSL N filter reliably retains contaminants such as particles, abrasive from valves and seals, and rust. Improved steam quality extends the service life of the sterilized filters and thus increases the economic efficiency of the entire process. The P-GSL N filter element provides especially economical filtration, since the filter material can be regenerated in an ultrasonic bath or by backwashing.
Industry: Spring water Problem: A producer may claim that its water has «natural purity» only if it meets certain requirements and…
The pleated stainless-steel filter material provides high retention of particles or dirt and good performance at a low pressure drop. Thanks to its robust design, the P-GSL N is rated for maximum pressure drops of up to 10 bar. In addition, the filter can be used for the filtration of steam, gases and liquids in the temperature range from –20 °C to 200 °C.
All P-GSL N components meet the FDA requirements for contact with food products in accordance with the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations), Title 21, as well as the requirements of EC/1935/2004.
LifeTec™ liquid filters
To supply the main fermenter with sterile water, LifeTec™ PP 100 N elements with pleated polypropylene membranes are used as pre-filters, and LifeTec™ PES-WN 30 0.2 µm with a pleated polyethersulfone membrane for sterile filtration. To supply the process with water from its own well, the water is transported from a depth of 40 m and sterile-filtered along the filtration line using a cascade of two 8-position PF-EG 0830 filter housings.
Industry: Spring water Problem: A producer may claim that its water has «natural purity» only if it meets certain requirements and…
Conclusion
Agrano's director Ralf Bredenhöller sums up the cooperation with Donaldson: "The new filtration systems for sterile air, liquids and steam, in use since 2014, are of extremely high value to us in production. High safety is very important for our sterile fermentation yeast factory."
