Equipped to Scale: Inside ÄIO’s Pilot Plant where people and technology shape the future of fats

At ÄIO, we develop next-generation fats and oils using proprietary yeast fermentation, offering sustainable alternatives to palm, coconut, and animal-based fats for food, cosmetics, and household applications. By upcycling local side streams like wood residues and food processing by-products, we create novel microbial oils that are both functional and traceable. 

In Q2 to Q3 of 2024, we installed and launched our in-house pilot plant, a major milestone in ÄIO’s journey from lab bench to market. Since then, we have successfully completed multiple 300-liter fermentation batches using a variety of substrate types and process conditions. Our pilot plant is food-grade and operated under HACCP principles, ensuring product safety and quality. 

More than just equipment, the pilot plant plays a crucial role in preparing, running, and scaling the experiments that underpin our technology. It is where research meets reality, and where novel concepts are validated in real-world conditions. Our dedicated and skilled team, led by Head of Pilot Plant Mateus Ribeiro da Silva, ensures that every run is executed with precision and purpose. Their commitment and deep expertise are central to turning our scientific vision into a commercial reality. 

Below is a closer look at the core equipment that powers our work. This infrastructure reflects that ÄIO is not only serious about innovation, but also about operational readiness and delivery. 

300 L Bioreactor 

Our 300 L stainless-steel stirred tank bioreactor is the heart of upstream fermentation. Purpose-built for microbial cultures, allows for a variety of cultivation strategies with precise control over feed flow rate, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and agitation. This level of process control and data acquisition is essential for growing lipid-rich yeast biomass at scale and for obtaining information that translate lab-scale performance into industrially relevant volumes. 

Disc-Stack Centrifuge 

After fermentation, we can use a disc-stack centrifuge to separate yeast cells from the broth efficiently and gently. This high-throughput system enables rapid processing without compromising cell integrity, preserving intracellular lipids for optimal downstream extraction. It is a key enabler of batch efficiency and consistency. 

Tubular Centrifuge 

To complement our cell harvesting, the tubular centrifuge handles finer separations and complex solid-liquid mixtures. It offers flexibility when switching between substrates or lipid profiles, allowing us to maintain high purity standards across different process conditions and side stream types. 

Press Filter 

The filter press complements the solid-liquid separation unit in the pilot plant. Its flexibility allows us to use it for different purposes to obtain a higher-quality final product.  

High-Pressure Homogenizer 

Once harvesting, we can use a high-pressure homogenizer to break open the yeast cells and access the intracellular lipids. This step is critical to maximizing lipid recovery while preserving the structure and function of our ingredients. 

Spray Dryer 

Our spray dryer is used for polishing and allows us to convert the product into dry, stable formats, such as encapsulated oils. These materials are ideal for cosmetics and food applications, where handling, shelf life, and controlled release are essential. It also enables us to experiment with advanced delivery formats. 

Filter Reactor 

The filter reactor is a versatile piece of equipment used in oil extraction, fractionation, and purification workflows. It supports both reaction and filtration steps within a single vessel, streamlining operations, and enabling more efficient downstream processing. It is especially useful for refining functional fats and tailoring their composition. 

Nutsche Filter 

We are soon installing a Nutsche filter, which will further expand our downstream capacity. Known for its ability to handle solid-liquid separation and drying in a closed system, it will allow us to recover lipids with even higher purity and yield, especially relevant for cosmetics and regulatory samples. 

What This Means for Partners 

ÄIO’s pilot plant is more than a facility. It is a functioning bridge between research and commercial deployment. Every fermentation, extraction, and formulation is run and validated on-site by an experienced team, using industrial-grade tools to meet real-world demands. 

For partners looking to co-develop ingredients, test new substrates, or assess product performance at pilot scale, our setup provides speed, flexibility, and reliability. We also generate samples suitable for pre-commercial testing, application trials, and regulatory submissions. 

Our doors are open to partners, investors, and innovators in food, cosmetics, and beyond. With our strong technical foundation, global collaborations, and purpose-driven team, ÄIO is ready to build a better future for fats and oils.