Cargill’s experience in biotechnology helps customers create value through improved bioprocesses in food, feed, and bio-industrials.  Expertise in biocatalyst and fermentation development resulted in the commercialization of an innovative yeast biocatalyst for the production of low pH lactic acid.  This platform organism and low pH fermentation process offer considerable cost savings over conventional (bacterial) lactic acid processes.
A biocatalyst capable of cellulosic ethanol production requires many of the same characteristics as a low pH lactic acid producing strain.  These include: high yield, high product tolerance, fast production rates, and robust tolerance to multiple inhibitors including organic acids.  The biocatalyst, the engineering tools, and the commercial scale knowledge developed for the low pH lactic acid process are being leveraged by Cargill to create a biocatalyst capable of the commercial conversion of biomass sugars to ethanol.