BIOREVIEW: BioREfining Value from Industrial Waste

BIOREVIEW is a biorefining collaboration between industry and academics in UK and India that aims to develop

innovative economically viable pilot scale industrial biotechnology (IB) processes to produce value added

products from waste streams (spent wash (SW) from ethanol production and sugarcane bagasse (SCB) fibre) of

the Indian sugarcane industry. Volatile fatty acids acetic, propionic and butyric acid with a predicted market

value of £11.9Bn will be produced from SW and xylitol, a diabetic compatible sweetener that prevents tooth

decay, will be produced from SCB that has a predicted market value of £1Bn by 2025. Microcrystalline cellulose

for food and pharmaceutical applications will be produced, along with depth filters for pollution abatement,

from residual SCB fibre. It is envisaged that the integration of these IB biorefining processes into Indian sugar

mills will be of economic, environmental and societal benefit to both industry and the Indian population.