Production, transformation and promotion of microorganisms of technological interest
Who are we?
BIOTECH’INNOV is a biotechnology platform where science, technology, and partnership come together. Designed to connect researchers, companies, and investors, our platform offers an integrated ecosystem where innovative ideas meet expertise and funding. BIOTECH’INNOV accelerates the process from theoretical conception to practical implementation, thereby helping to solve biotechnological challenges related to health and food.
On the scientific front, BIOTECH’INNOV benefits from the support of researchers from the University of Burgundy Europe and the Institut Agro Dijon, through the Joint Research Unit (UMR): Food and Microbiological Processes (PAM).
BIOTECH’INNOV is dedicated to gaining an in-depth understanding of the biological and physicochemical mechanisms essential to the development and survival of microorganisms, as well as to optimizing the production of metabolites of interest. Our main research areas include solid-state fermentation, anaerobic fermentation, and the production of target molecules. We study the production of microorganisms or target molecules by considering the necessary pretreatments, the fermentation and production conditions themselves, as well as subsequent stabilization steps.
Pre-treatment
- Metabolic requirements
- Decontamination and optimization of the culture medium …
Fermentation
- Temperature, pH, redox, agitation
- Gas
- Scaling up
- Bioreactor geometry …
Post-treatment
- Freezing
- Drying
- Encapsulation
- Shaping …
These are the solid foundation of our expertise and lead to scientific advances that benefit the entire biotechnology community. This work is published in the form of articles, patents, conference presentations, and doctoral theses. Here are a few examples of our work:
Verstraeten, S., Layec, S., Auger, S., Juste, C., Henry, C., Charif, S., … & Huillet, E. (2024). Faecalibacterium duncaniae A2-165 regulates the expression of butyrate synthesis, ferrous iron uptake, and stress-response genes based on acetate consumption. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 987. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-51059-3
Beney, L., Raise, A., Dupont, S., & Huillet, E. (2024). U.S. Patent Application No. 18/258,201.
Beney, L., Rise, A., Dupont, S. (2022). Milieu de culture, procédé de fabrication et procédé de culture bacterienne. Brevet WO/2022/129816. https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/fr/detail.jsf?docId=WO2022129816&_cid=P12-LHSNHC-13066-1.
Phùng, T.T.P., Gerometta, M., Chanut, J., Raise, A., Ureña, M., Dupont, S., Beney,L., Karbowiak, T. (2022). Comprehensive approach to the protection and controlled release of extremely oxygen sensitive probiotics using edible polysaccharide-based coatings. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 218, 706-719, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.129.
Raise, A., Dupont, S., Iaconelli, C., Caliri, C., Charriau, A., Gervais, P., … & Beney, L. (2020). Comparison of two encapsulation processes to protect the commensal gut probiotic bacterium Faecalibacterium prausnitzii from the digestive tract. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 56, 101608 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2020.101608
Yatskul, A., Lemiere, J.P., Cointault, F. (2017). Influence of the divider head functioning conditions and geometry on the seed’s distribution accuracy of the air-seeder. Biosystems Engineering, 161, 120-134, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2017.06.015.
From a technological standpoint, thanks in particular to financial support from the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regional Council, BIOTECH’INNOV has a wide range of equipment for laboratory research and scale-up. Our infrastructure enables us to conduct precise and reproducible experiments under optimal conditions, thereby ensuring reliable and relevant results for your research and development projects.
In terms of partnerships, thanks to the presence of Sayens, a Technology Transfer Acceleration Company (SATT), we are able to provide comprehensive support to our partners, covering all stages of development, from proof of concept to pre-production. Sayens acts as a bridge between the universities and research centers of the greater Dijon campus and businesses, bringing them high-potential innovation solutions.
Our Expertise
The scientific support behind BIOTECH’INNOV enables us to assist you with your R&D projects in the following areas:
- Development of fermented foods and innovative bioproducts
- Production of microorganisms, fermented matrices, or molecules of interest
- Scaling up of aerobic liquid and solid-state fermentations
- Selection of strains of interest
- Process optimization and development for the production of microorganisms or fermented products
- Functionalization of matrices & valorization of byproducts
- Diagnostics and optimization in pilot bioreactors for industrial production
- Development of processes for stabilizing microorganisms
- Encapsulation of active ingredients and probiotics
- Thermal and athermal decontamination of liquid, viscous, and particulate products
→ Technological advantages :
- Solid-state fermentation
- Applicable to all microorganisms, including filamentous fungi
- Clean Technology: natural raw materials, reduced water usage, higher volumetric productivity
- A scaling-up and optimization methodology proven over 30 years
- Liquid-phase fermentation
- Stabilization and maintenance of functionality from the pilot reactor to industrial-scale production, using process control and scaling-up parameters.
→ Possible applications:
- Production of enzymes or microorganisms, including probiotics, for human or animal consumption
- Improvement of the nutritional quality of food matrices
Scientific Coordinator: Jean-Pierre LEMIERE – UMR PAM
- Production of extremely oxygen-sensitive bacteria or biomolecules of interest
- Development of production processes and stabilization of anaerobic bacteria and probiotics
- Growth monitoring and optimization of biomass production
- Optimization of anaerobic bacteria viability
- Vectorization/encapsulation of active ingredients and probiotics
- Functionalization of matrices/valorization of byproducts
- Scaling-up
→ Technological advantage:
- Production of extremely oxygen-sensitive bacteria in a bioreactor
- Stabilization and maintenance of controlled functionalities
→ Possible applications:
- Production of next-generation probiotics
- Stabilization of anaerobic bacteria during storage
Scientific Coordinator: Bonastre OLIETE – UMR PAM
Make a Contribution to Scientific
and Technological Progress with BIOTECH’INNOV
Our Resources
BIOTECH’INNOV offers customized R&D programs that guarantee you access to high-level expertise and leading-edge technical resources.
Support from experts and scientists: Laurent BENEY, Jean-Pierre LEMIERE, and Bonastre OLIETE—three teacher-researchers directly involved in the project.
A dedicated technical team: 1 engineer in microbiology and bioprocessing, 1 business manager for food and agrotechnologies, 1 R&D technician, 1 maintenance technician, and 1 operator.
Anaerobic chambers: We are equipped with the necessary tools to handle microorganisms under strict anaerobic conditions, as well as instruments for measuring and monitoring growth.
0.5 L and 5 L bioreactors: specifically designed for the cultivation of anaerobic bacteria. They offer precise control of environmental conditions, such as temperature, pH, and gas concentration, thereby optimizing the performance of anaerobic cultures and achieving high yields of biomass and metabolites of interest.
Equipment dedicated to bioproduction:
- Fermenteurs Laboratory-scale solid-state fermenters (up to 1 L) for fermentation optimization and scale-up calculations
- Pre-industrial pilot systems for solid-state fermentation: 200 kg thin-layer and 50 L deep-layer
- Liquid-state fermenters: from 3 L to 5 L
Pre-production/post-production equipment: We have access to equipment in the technology hall used in agri-food for pre-processing and post-processing our products (grinder, mixer, extruder, industrial microwave, Spirajoule, etc.)
Laboratories:
- Physicochemical analysis
- Microbiology
- Molecular biology (including genetic analysis by PCR)
Head of Technology Hall Equipment: Ophélie KOT – SAYENS
In addition to the technology hall and the anaerobic facility, we have access to:
- A wide range of equipment to characterize food products: Plateforme DIVVA
- Mass spectrometry equipment for lipid analysis: Plateforme Lipidomique
- A regional cellular imaging platform, including a spectroscopic imaging facility (PIMS): Plateforme DIMACELL
- Laboratories and greenhouses dedicated to evaluating the efficacy and environmental impact of new agricultural products: SAYENS – Unité R&D Agro-environnement
- A technology hall dedicated to food processing for human or animal consumption: SAYENS – Unité R&D Agroalimentaire
This synergy among the various platforms allows a comprehensive approach to characterize and optimize biotechnological processes.
Our partnership models
Working with BIOTECH’INNOV means benefiting from customized R&D programs that guarantee you access to the expertise, teams, and cutting-edge technical resources described above. We can work together to establish research collaborations (such as doctoral theses or participation in consortia), which enable the development of technologies and products while contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge.
We can also conduct R&D studies, analyses, and bioproduction services on your behalf.
Our Achievements
→ Production scale-up. Validation of the feasibility of pre-industrial-scale production of biofertilizing bacteria (alternative to chemical fertilizers):
- Determination of growth medium and conditions within cost constraints
- Formulation/stabilization for bacterial preservation: determination of spray-drying and freeze-drying conditions
- Production of batches for greenhouse and microplot trials
→ Matrix functionalization: use of solid-state fermentation to enrich an agricultural byproduct with protein (animal feed)
Selected publications from the laboratories:
- Allouche, R., Dupont, S., Charriau, A., Gervais, P., Beney, L., Chambin, O. (2018). Optimized tableting for extremely oxygen-sensitive probiotics using direct compression. International Journal of Pharmacology, 538, 14–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2018.01.010
- Raise, A., Dupont, S., Iaconelli, C., Caliri, C., Charriau, A., Gervais, P., Chambin, O., Beney, L. (2020) Comparison of two encapsulation processes to protect the commensal gut probiotic bacterium Faecalibacterium prausnitzii from the digestive tract. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 56 (A), 101608, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2020.101608.
- Iaconelli, C. (2016). Production, stabilisation et conservation d’une bactérie strictement anaérobie à vertu probiotique : Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Université Bourgogne Europe.
Our Commitments
The ISO 9001 certification is the evaluation standard for quality management systems. This standard primarily defines guidelines for the management, organization, and optimal operation of a company. The main objective of our continuous improvement process, for many years now, has been to continue implementing an effective and tailored quality management system within Sayens, and to ensure a high level of quality management efficiency across our various sites and branches throughout our region.
We are part of the CRT SAYENS 2ABI.
The Research Tax Credit (CIR) is available to all industrial, commercial, craft, and agricultural businesses—regardless of size—that engage in research and development activities.
Partner Organizations
