10075214Decarbonising F&B sectors and animal feed production using engineered biological consortia applying circular principlesClosedGrant for R&DInnovate UKLivestock production has been gravely affected due to increased costs of feed due to unavailability from logistical disruptions and other issues. Significant proportion of the agricultural based emissions are based on feed emissions and impact from the ingestion of low-grade feed resulting in eructations/belching. Breweries , greenhouses and vertical farms are highly emissive but relatively small scale emitters compared to coal/cement/glass plants. We aim to address several of these issues whilst providing large-scale impact working with several small scale emitters, solving their problems whilst reducing our operating costs in the process. The project is based on using novel engineered biology approaches in a circular economy manner by Protiomix(www.protiomix.com). We have engineered a novel feed based on using industrial biotechnology and bioprocessing approach.Using state of the art biotechnology, our process utilises co-products from the F&B industry whilst providing sufficient resilience to contamination using our stable solution . This system is capable of sequestering CO2 during production and grows 3-4 fold faster compared to conventional systems , which then decarbonises endusers such as breweries (direct carbon capture) whilst indirectly reducing emissions (feed substitution, reduced emissions due to higher nutritional density feed). Our novel approach is synergistically enhanced by partnering with a novel production and downstream separation partner (Reepel, subcontractor, www.reepel.co.uk) capable of significantly reducing costs using their proprietary microbubble technology.Their disinfection technology provides 5-7 log (pharmaceutical grade) disinfection which enables ability to utilise feedstock from by-products/wastewater in breweries and vertical farm/greenhouse run-off(spent media). Our approach for this project is to de-risk the process by testing feed outputs for multiple feedstocks from breweries and vertical farms/greenhouses. Any modifications or additions to the consortia to increase robustness of the system would be performed here. Testing and recording product growth, composition and subsequent feed quality/assessment enables strong de-risking possibility, which enables fundraising and scale up. The subsequent assessment and scale-up has been agreed by the investor who will fund a 30tpa production system post successful project completion, thereby delivering rapid impact. Reepel as a subcontractor would be able to provide small scale reactor(larger than bench scale - 50-200L) as part of the project work to develop the process and generate some technical data for appropriate next stage of development. The process was developed with a view to help multiple sectors, whilst providing a fiscally rewarding output using core strengths of UK developed biology, engineering science, and deeptech processing thereby maintaining and furthering UK-based offerings.