Harnessing agro-industrial by-products for food protein production: Ex-ante process design for precision fermentation using Trichoderma reesei

• Precision fermentation (PF) can emulate traditional animal protein sources. • Trichoderma reesei is a promising microbial cell factory for PF protein production. • A SuperPro process model was developed for a 10,000-tonne/year semi-batch PF protein plant. • Aeration rate maintenance is a key factor, impacting 40% of compressor electricity use. Precision fermentation (PF) is an emerging biotechnology that uses genetically modified microorganisms to produce proteins, fats, biochemicals, and vitamins with high accuracy, mimicking traditional animal and plant sources. Filamentous fungi, particularly Trichoderma reesei , holds potential as microbial cell factories for PF protein production. This study develops a process model for a semi-batch plant producing 10,000 tonnes/year of PF protein using sucrose, cheese whey permeate, sugarcane molasses, and bagasse as feedstocks. The model integrates distinct pretreatment steps based on feedstock type, followed by fermentation, filtration, membrane purification, and spray drying. Energy and material inputs per kilogram of PF protein were analysed, highlighting aeration rate maintenance as a key energy-intensive factor, contributing to 40% of compressor electricity use and 31% of chilled water demand. Sensitivity analyses assessed the effects of aeration rate, fermentation time, and temperature variations on process efficiency and sustainability. The findings emphasise the need to optimise these parameters to reduce energy consumption and improve industrial feasibility. This study provides a foundation for future life cycle assessments and techno-economic evaluations, contributing to the advancement of PF technology to evaluate the sustainability and scalability of protein production.