Fermentation Technology & Rice Ethanol Innovation
Oct 21,2021
Oct 21,2021
A company is attempting to ferment a renewable society by practicing a circular economy that produces no waste. Examples include producing ethanol from organic rice grown on fallow rice paddies and using fermented lees left over from production processes as an ingredient for cosmetics and as feed for poultry and cattle.
That company is Fermenstation Co., Ltd., whose name is derived from the word fermentation. We spoke with Sakai Lina, the company’s CEO, about fermentation and the realization of a sustainable society.
Sakai worked at a financial institution after graduating from university. But after a career as a financial professional, she enrolled in the Department of Fermentation Science at the Tokyo University of Agriculture’s Faculty of Applied Biosciences. What prompted her to make this decisive switch?
“In my work as a financial professional, I met people at NPOs tackling societal issues in Japan and the U.S. They were working to improve society and the environment while maintaining business feasibility. This type of work approach was already in existence 20 years ago in the U.S. I was very impressed and it got me started to think about doing the same thing someday. But at that time, I had no idea how exactly to go about it.
“Then, by chance, I saw a professor from the Tokyo University of Agriculture talking on television. And I thought, ‘This might be it.’”
Sakai Lina, CEO of Fermenstation Co., Ltd.
What the professor was talking about was technology developed by the Tokyo University of Agriculture that ferments food waste to make ethanol.
“If someone had told me to start making biofuel right away, I would have thought it impossible for me since I have a liberal arts background. But because the professor said, ‘Ethanol is an extension of saké,’ I thought, ‘Well, if it’s just saké, maybe I can do it!’ [laughs] From there, I read a bunch of books, visited the university’s open campus, and even spoke with the professor in person. In the end, I quit my job and enrolled at the university.”
After enrolling, Sakai worked in R&D on ethanol extraction technologies, as well as studying various fermentation technologies for producing saké, soy sauce, and mirin [rice wine]. While gaining a deeper understanding of the fascinating world of fermentation, she grew increasingly motivated to put this technology to use in improving society and the environment.
“When I started my business, I wanted to do something that would benefit the world. I had planned to join a company where I could apply the fermentation technologies I had learned, but there were almost no companies producing ethanol from miscellaneous raw materials. Fortunately, some people from the city of Oshu, Iwate visited the university’s research lab around that time. They were looking for a partner for a joint research project to produce biofuel from rice grown on fallow rice paddies, so I raised my hand and joined the team.”
Sakai’s encounter with Oshu happened back in 2009. In July of that year, Sakai, who had just graduated from the Tokyo University of Agriculture in March, established Fermenstation and started the joint research project the following year in 2010.
“For three years after launch, we focused on repeated tests of making biofuels from rice. Though the tests and their results themselves were very valuable, it was hard to turn the biofuels into a profitable business venture. At that point, we began discussing the ethanol’s potential use as a cosmetics ingredient. We decided to make the previous proof-of-concept tests into a business and continue it under Fermenstation.”
Most ethanol in use is divided into two types: petroleum-derived and fermentation-derived. Most fermentation-derived ethanol is produced using saccharide-rich crops such as sugarcane, corn, and cassava from overseas.
Rice is inoculated and fermented with carefully selected koji rice malt and yeast
“Ethanol is included in cosmetics and food products, and it’s now indispensable for routine sterilization. Despite being such a common substance, people have no idea what ethanol is made from or who produces the raw materials and when they are produced.
“We felt that by making our ethanol traceable and clearly indicating its origin, we could create new demand.”
In addition to its origin being clearly marked, the rice ethanol produced by Fermenstation has other significant advantages over regular ethanol.
“Rice ethanol is made from organic brown rice, giving it a mild aroma. It doesn’t have the sharp, pungent smell that ethanol typically has. This makes it ideal for use in cosmetics, as it doesn’t overpower the scent of essential oils. Another distinction is its very low volatilization, so most people say it leaves a moisturizing sensation on the skin, rather than a cooling sensation. At the same time, rice ethanol has an alcohol concentration of 95 percent, so it is just as effective as regular ethanol.
“Moreover, we know exactly where the brown rice used as raw material was grown, which farmer grew it, and when it was harvested. There was no such thing as traceable ethanol anywhere in the world until our rice ethanol.”
Although Sakai’s company had developed a groundbreaking rice ethanol, this didn’t immediately lead to sales. Rice ethanol faced significant barriers in terms of price and versatility, which was compounded by the fact that few companies were looking for value-added ethanol.
Consequently, Sakai turned her attention to the fermentation residue, rice moromi [mash] lees, that is created in the production of ethanol.
“Fermented lees was normally used as livestock feed. But we knew through experience that it was actually very good for your skin. Upon further research, we discovered that fermented lees contains high levels of ceramides and amino acids. From there, we started our own brand and began to make products using rice moromi lees.”
The brand’s first product was a facial soap, but it soon expanded to include insect repellent sprays and hand sanitizer sprays made with rice ethanol. As these products gained popularity, more companies began purchasing the base ingredient, rice ethanol, for use in cosmetics and aromatherapy products.
Ordinary consumers can also purchase Fermenstation’s rice ethanol.
The rice ethanol developed through a joint research project with people from Oshu is creating further virtuous cycles.
“Initially, we made ethanol from rice and used the leftover fermented lees as feed for chickens and other livestock. We didn’t give it much further thought until we heard about the deliciousness of the eggs laid by the free-range chickens raised on the fermented lees. The farming families we knew used these eggs to make cookies and cakes. We also discovered that the manure from these chickens made excellent fertilizer for rice paddies. Rice farmers and vegetable farmers began using the chicken manure, further expanding our partnerships.
“One of our partner farmers planted edible sunflowers in an unused field. This spawned a project to extract the sunflower oil from the seeds. The sunflower oil is not only sold as a product but also used as an ingredient in the soap we produce.”
Sakai says that this chain of events that began in Oshu, Iwate is “a model of what I had wanted to do.”
Despite her successes, she says there is still a long way to go. We asked her what kind of future she envisions.
“My end objective is to make effective use of all kinds of resources. I say this because I don’t want to abandon my current lifestyle. I want to live comfortably and enjoy life, but if I continue doing things as I have been doing, I know it’s not sustainable in view of the environmental costs. If, however, we apply fermentation technologies to resources, we can transform them into better things, not simply process them or make substitutes. I hope to create these better things with underutilized resources. I believe we have to ensure that recycling and sustainability are more than just buzzwords.
“To achieve this, we need to focus on everything we can do now — like minimizing waste and reducing energy consumption — while also creating good functional things. Ultimately, my goal is to see the raw materials we produce and the products we’re involved in being used by people around the world in their daily lives.”
Fermenstation produces ethanol by fermenting and distilling organic rice grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers in fallow rice paddies near Oshu, Iwate. In addition to skincare products, the company also develops food items such as sunflower oil. The company practices a sustainable circular economy with zero waste.
Fermenstation online store