Researchers at the National University of Singapore have successfully recycled food waste into butanol via engineered yeast in a laboratory. The researchers, who secured SG$300,000 (US$222,831) from Singapore’s National Environment Agency, modified the genetic makeup of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. The microbe, which has the natural ability to process fats, was modified to include 10 extra genes into its cell. The method involves blending the food waste and extracting the fats in it and adding that to the engineered yeast in a bioreactor. The butanol produced is then filtered out. The engineered yeast was able to produce 1 kg of… Login to continue

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