ÄIO > Technology
Natural & precision fermentation processes to produce healthier alternatives
We specialize in growing microorganisms capable of producing beneficial fatty acids, antioxidants and pigments. By optimizing our bioprocesses we deliver tailored solutions for many industries.
ÄIO’s production pipeline
1 Raw materials
Raw material: Molasses
Molasses is used as a microbiological energy source in a wide range of fermentation processes. It’s a stable and predictable substrate to store and handle, easy to incorporate into fermentation processes, and cost-effective.
Raw material: Whey
Cheese whey is a rich by-product of the dairy industry that is rich in lactose, proteins, and minerals.
Global whey production exceeds 200 million tons annually. Using it as a base for fermentation processes can reduce the disposal burden on producers.
Raw material: Wood residue
Wood-based residues and co-streams generated by the paper, pulp and wood industries, such as sawdust, are promising source materials for both environmental and economic reasons.
Wood residues do not compete with other food sources in terms of land resources or water and are both traceable and cost-effective.
2 Fermentation
How residue becomes the product
Working with oils is both
science and art.
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.
The hero of our process: ÄIO’s 300L Bioreactor
Our 300L 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.
3 Harvesting & refinement
Centrifuge:
After fermentation, we 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.
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.
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.
Filtration:
The press filter 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.
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.
Installing the Nutsche filter further expanded our downstream capacity. Known for its ability to handle solid-liquid separation and drying in a closed system, it allows us to recover lipids with high purity and yield, especially relevant for cosmetics and regulatory samples.
Thrice the product from a single process
Output:
Encapsulated Oil
The filtered ferment passes through the spray dryer, which polishes and converts the product into a dry, stable format, known as our Encapsulated Oil.
This material is 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.
Output:
ZymaLipid
Complex
Once filtered and dryed, powdered ferment can be refined through a combination of mechanical extraction and solid-liquid separation.
The result is a crude substance, which through an additional refining process, becomes the creamy ZymaLipid Complex.
Output:
Red Oil
By refining the crude form of ZymaLipid Complex in a particular way, Red Oil can be produced instead.
Nemailla Bonturi,
PhD
Co-founder and CEO:
“Fermentation”
is not just
a buzzword. It is
a vital tool.”
ÄIO has a strong team of scientists and researchers with over 200 years of combined experience in biotech. 58% of the team hold Master’s degrees and 35% hold PhDs. More about ÄIO
Thanks!
We shall contact You soon!
Something went wrong.
Please contact us via info@aio.bio!