SBIR Phase I: Converting Greek yogurt waste into a low-calorie natural sweetener

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program will be to develop a technology to convert the acid whey waste generated by Greek yogurt production into a natural sweetener. The Greek yogurt industry is on the rise. However, making authentic Greek yogurt is a wasteful process - producing 3 parts waste for every part of Greek yogurt made. An economical use of Greek yogurt waste will capture the full value of the waste materials, minimize waste transportation cost, decrease bacterial outbreak risk, and reduce the carbon footprint for the environment. In parallel, the technology will ensure a sustainable supply of a rare low-calorie natural sweetener, which was shown to help lower blood sugar and improve cholesterol levels, in addition to its antioxidant, anti-cavity and pro-digestive properties. The innovation will enhance scientific and technological understanding of conversion of non-food biomass to value-added chemicals. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to use synthetic biology and metabolic engineering to develop engineered yeast as a self-renewing biocatalyst for processing the environmentally hazardous waste from Greek yogurt production into a low-calorie natural sweetener. Greek yogurt companies struggle to dispose of its waste. The waste, which contains significant amounts of lactose, cannot be discarded without a pretreatment step because it stimulates bacterial growth, polluting water systems. The research addresses this challenge through the development of self-sustained microbes as catalysts in a continuous process, allowing lactose uptake with minimal waste pretreatment. This process produces a low-calorie natural sweetener as a product, whose market supply is currently limited by production cost. Anticipated technical results include strains with high yield and productivity, a specific product purification method and successful assembly of a live yeast reactor. The design overcomes substantial financial, logistical and thermodynamic bottlenecks in Greek yogurt waste treatment, and the low-calorie natural sweetener production.