The exact composition of waste products varies greatly among fermentation processes, but typically it includes spent microbial biomass and wastewater. If the microbes-usually funghi, bacteria or algae-are not part of the end product, they are disposed of or used in other ways, such as fertilizer, animal feed or materials. Most of the waste from the facility will be wastewater that can initially be treated onsite before being released into municipal waterways. Studies have shown that certain kinds of fermentation waste can even be used to remediate waterways. There is no risk of gene transfer from inert genetically modified microbes to natural ones.
We are on the cusp of the deepest, fastest, most consequential disruption in food and agricultural production since the first domestication of plants and animals 10,000 years ago.
Published on: 12/07/23