Provided herein are methods for processing biomass materials that are disposed in one or more structures or carriers, e.g., a bag, a shell, a net, a membrane, a mesh or any combination of these. Containing the material in this manner allows it to be readily added or removed at any point and in any sequence during processing.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, equipment, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, in a vault in which hazardous gases are removed, destroyed and/or converted. The treatments are efficient and can reduce the recalcitrance of the lignocellulosic material so that it is easier to produce an intermediate or product, e.g., sugars, alcohols, sugar alcohols and energy, from the lignocellulosic material.

The present invention relates to a novel cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) enzyme which is obtainable from Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4, N1-4(HMT) or N1-504. The invention further relates to nucleic acids encoding the enzyme, vectors and host cells, and uses of the CGTase.

An isolated Clostridium cadaveris ITRI04005 and its uses are provided. The isolated Clostridium cadaveris ITRI04005 was deposited at German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen GmbH, DSMZ) under the accession number DSM 32078.

An isolated Clostridium cadaveris ITRI04005 and its uses are provided. The isolated Clostridium cadaveris ITRI04005 was deposited at German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen GmbH, DSMZ) under the accession number DSM 32078.

The process for producing organic molecules from fermentable biomass includes a step of anaerobic fermentation (5) producing volatile fatty acids (6), these precursors being transformed into final organic molecules by non-fermentation means. It also includes at least the following steps: a) extracting (9) at least one portion of the volatile fatty acids from the fermentation medium in such a way that the production of fermentation metabolites by the microorganisms (M) is not affected, and introducing a portion of the liquid phase (11) containing microorganisms from the extraction (9), b) synthesizing (13) organic molecules from the fermentation metabolites or from the volatile fatty acids extracted in step a),-c) continuing steps a) to b) until the final molecules are obtained, in terms of amount and quality. The invention also relates to an installation for implementing the process.

A process for producing products containing organic salts from biodegradable feedstocks includes fermenting biodegradable feedstock using natural consortia of microorganisms to produce a first product stream including carboxylic acid salts, suspended solids and water; removing suspended solids from the first product stream to produce a second product stream including carboxylic acid salts; concentrating the second product stream to produce a third product stream and water; and further drying the third product stream to remove water and produce a fourth product stream including dry carboxylic acid salts.

A process for producing products containing organic salts from biodegradable feedstocks includes fermenting biodegradable feedstock using natural consortia of microorganisms to produce a first product stream including carboxylic acid salts, suspended solids and water; removing suspended solids from the first product stream to produce a second product stream including carboxylic acid salts; concentrating the second product stream to produce a third product stream and water; and further drying the third product stream to remove water and produce a fourth product stream including dry carboxylic acid salts.

Disclosed herein are novel microbial polycultures of two or more cell strains, capable of producinges, flavonoids, and anthocyanidin-3-O-glucosides, and methods of use thereof. Also disclosed is a microbial cell capable of producing phenylpropanoic acids, and methods of use thereof.

Disclosed herein are novel microbial polycultures of two or more cell strains, capable of producinges, flavonoids, and anthocyanidin-3-O-glucosides, and methods of use thereof. Also disclosed is a microbial cell capable of producing phenylpropanoic acids, and methods of use thereof.