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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
06:08
Design of Solid-State Fermentation Systems for Polymer Hydrolytic Extracellular Enzyme Production by Filamentous Fungi
Published on: June 6, 2025
Scaling up solid-state fermentation for organic waste valorisation: Current challenges and emerging opportunities
Jose Bueno-Mancebo1, Adriana Artola1, Raquel Barrena1
1GICOM, Research Group on Bioconversion of Organic Residues and Advanced Materials, Department d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici Q, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, 08193, Spain.
Journal of Environmental Management
|July 17, 2026
Summary
Solid-state fermentation (SSF) transforms waste into bioproducts sustainably. Scaling up SSF requires overcoming challenges in mass transfer and temperature control for wider industrial use.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Environmental Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Solid-state fermentation (SSF) offers a sustainable method for converting organic waste into valuable bioproducts.
- SSF utilizes microorganisms on low-moisture substrates, aligning with circular economy principles.
- Despite environmental benefits, limited industrial adoption hinders SSF's widespread application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize key limitations in scaling up SSF processes from laboratory to industrial levels.
- To explore innovative strategies for overcoming scale-up challenges in SSF.
- To enhance the reliability and scalability of SSF for waste valorization.
Main Methods:
- Review of challenges in mass transfer and temperature gradients during SSF scale-up.
- Exploration of advanced reactor designs, such as biotrickling reactors, for improved process control.
- Integration of computational modeling (CFD) and artificial intelligence (AI) for process optimization.
Main Results:
- Heterogeneous mass transfer and temperature gradients are primary obstacles in SSF scale-up.
- Biotrickling reactors show promise for uniform moisture distribution and enhanced mass transfer.
- Advanced modeling and AI integration can significantly improve SSF process control.
Conclusions:
- Overcoming scale-up challenges is crucial for the industrial viability of SSF.
- Advanced technologies like biotrickling reactors and AI-driven control offer promising solutions.
- Successful scale-up will enable SSF to become a key technology in sustainable biorefineries for waste valorization.
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