Plant growth promoting srhizosphere (PGPR) research has gained significant interest for improving crop productivity and promoting sustainable agriculture. Among various plant hormones, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is a key auxin typically produced by PGPR that supports the growth and development of plants. In this study, Enterobacter cloacae 38 was identified as an effective IAA-producing bacterium using defatted soybean meal (DSM), a soybean by-product, as an inexpensive substitute for the commonly used Luria–Bertani (LB) medium. This study reports the optimization of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) biosynthesis by Enterobacter cloacae 38 using defatted soybean meal (DSM) as a low-cost alternative medium through response surface methodology (RSM). Unlike conventional soybean-based media for microbial cultivation or biofertilizer production, this study demonstrates DSM as a cost-effective medium for enhancing microbial IAA biosynthesis compared with commercial LB medium. Key culture conditions, including L-tryptophan concentration, pH, and different carbon and nitrogen sources, were screened and optimized to enhance IAA biosynthesis. One-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) analysis showed that E. cloacae 38 produced the highest IAA titer of 529.71 µg/mL after 120 h of fermentation. Among the tested parameters, DSM as a nitrogen source and L-tryptophan concentration had the strongest influence on IAA production, whereas carbon sources had no significant effect. Further optimization using response surface methodology (RSM) increased IAA biosynthesis to 627 µg/mL under the optimal conditions of 20 mg/mL DSM, 5 mg/mL L-tryptophan, pH 9, 37 °C, and 120 h incubation. Post-validation experiments confirmed that the DSM-optimized medium produced 25.6% more IAA than commercial LB medium.

The study demonstrated that pineapple peel supplementation enhances microbial activity and enzyme production in kombucha fermentation, with the Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) brewing solution exhibiting a rapid pH decline to 2.96 within 7 days due to organic acid production from acetic acid bacteria and yeasts, ensuring a safe fermentation environment (pH ≤ 4.6). Pineapple peels sustained microbial populations such as yeast, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and acetic acid bacteria (AAB) at 37 °C, but at 45 °C it caused severe inhibition due to thermal stress, while acting as nutrient sources to support higher cell counts (AAB: 2,620 CFU/mL) compared to controls. This study evaluated protease, cellulase, and lipase activities at 37 °C and 45 °C using agar plate hydrolysis assays. Protease exhibited activity, with hydrolysis indices of 2.2-2.3 at 37 °C and 3.0 at 45 °C, demonstrating temperature-enhanced performance consistent with bromelain’s thermal optima. Cellulase showed peak activity at 37 °C (index 2.4, day 3), declining thereafter, while 45 °C sustained higher indices (2.1-3.3), indicating thermal stability. Lipase displayed moderate activity at 37 °C (index 2.5, day 6) but improved at 45 °C (index 2.7, day 3), aligning with prior reports on thermophilic activation. The results highlight pineapple peels as an effective substrate for thermostable protease and cellulase production, with potential applications in bioconversion processes.

Southeast Asia is battered by intensifying climate hazards, yet the region continues to feed hundreds of millions through its vast rice bowls. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is increasingly regarded as the most viable route to sustain production, slash greenhouse-gas emissions, and strengthen farmer resilience in the face of worsening shocks. This systematic review consolidates the strongest field-based evidence currently available across the region. Methane emissions are reduced by approximately 35 % and global warming potential by 29 % when Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) is correctly applied, while irrigation water use drops substantially and rice yields remain stable or increase modestly. Greenhouse-gas fluxes are suppressed by roughly 20 % through biochar incorporation, and crop productivity is raised between 10 % and 28 %, with the most pronounced benefits observed on the acidic, low-fertility soils that dominate mainland and insular Southeast Asia. In the Lower Mekong Basin, the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) has been shown to deliver average yield gains of 52 % alongside 70 % higher net economic returns. Despite these robust outcomes, widespread uptake is still constrained by multiple barriers. Training is often inadequate, initial investment costs are perceived as prohibitive, and access to land, credit, extension services, and timely information is distributed unequall-particularly disadvantaging women farmers. Large evidence gaps persist for non-rice agroecosystems and for standardised, comparable indicators of resilience. The review therefore concludes with a clearly sequenced research and policy agenda aimed at shifting CSA from scattered demonstration plots to landscape-scale transformation across Southeast Asia’s diverse farming systems.

This study uses an aqueous two-phase system developed from a polymer and salt to purify a thermostable carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) produced by thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis 2D55. The effects of system parameters, such as polyethene glycol (PEG) molar mass, salt concentration, crude load, NaCl concentration and pH on partitioning and recovery efficiency, are evaluated. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) is used to determine the purity of the CMCase. The enzyme is successfully purified, achieving a 10.9-fold purification and 86.62% yield. The maximum purification condition is achieved in ATPS comprising 20.5% PEG 8000/15% sodium citrate, with a crude load of 17% (w/w), NaCl of 1.0% (w/w) and pH at 7.0. Under these conditions, a partition co-efficient of 0.21 is observed, indicating that CMCase preferentially partitions to the bottom phase. These results demonstrate the potential of ATPS for the purification of thermostable CMCase from the fermentation broth of thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis 2D55.

The symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) represents a dynamic microbial consortium that plays a fundamental role in kombucha fermentation. This complex system consists of acetic acid bacteria (AAB), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and various yeast species whose synergistic interactions generate bioactive compounds including organic acids, polyphenols, and bacterial cellulose (BC). Within the SCOBY consortium, Komagataeibacter and Gluconobacter spp. (AAB) catalyze the oxidative conversion of ethanol to acetic acid, generating an acidic microenvironment that both inhibits competing microorganisms and promotes bacterial cellulose biosynthesis. LAB, including Lactobacillus and Pediococcus, enhance fermentation stability, probiotic potential, and biofilm structure through exopolysaccharide production and bacteriocin secretion. Yeasts like Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zygosaccharomyces bailii metabolize sugars into ethanol and CO₂, supporting AAB activity and contributing to flavor complexity. Recent advances in biosynthesis research have identified over 200 microbial species in SCOBY, with high-throughput sequencing revealing key metabolic pathways. Genetic optimization of BC production involves the bcsABCD operon, which regulates cellulose synthase activity, with CRISPR and metabolic engineering enhancing yield and crystallinity (84-89%). Engineered strains of Komagataeibacter xylinus demonstrate improved BC properties, including nanofibrillar density (2-4 nm) and water retention (>99%). However, SCOBY’s industrial application faces challenges, including batch variability, environmental sensitivity, and inconsistent microbial profiles, necessitating precision fermentation with defined consortia for standardized production. Future research should focus on robust clinical validation of health claims and scalable bioprocessing techniques to harness SCOBY’s full potential in food, biotechnology, and biomedical applications.

In recent years, with increasing demand for sustainable, environmentally friendly materials, bacterial cellulose (BC) has attracted significant attention as a promising biomaterial. BC possesses excellent mechanical strength, good biocompatibility, extremely high water-holding capacity (more than 100 times its own weight), and can be easily modified. These unique properties make BC superior to plant cellulose in many applications. This review summarizes recent progress in BC across several important fields. In the food industry, BC has been widely used as edible films and coatings, enhancing the shelf life of fresh products. Moreover, when natural antimicrobial agents or pH indicators were incorporated, active and intelligent packaging were developed. As a food additive, BC acts as a high-quality dietary fiber that can adsorb cholesterol and bile salts in the gastrointestinal tract. BC also improves the texture of low-calorie foods and protects probiotic bacteria during storage. In the cosmetic field, BC is well-suited for facial masks because its three-dimensional structure can hold a large amount of active compounds and conform well to the skin surface. When BC was combined with propolis or other natural extracts, the antioxidant and anti-aging effects were greatly enhanced. In wastewater treatment, the abundant hydroxyl groups and large surface area enable heavy metal ions and organic dyes to be removed effectively. Besides, BC has been used as a reinforcement material in the paper and textile industries. The addition of BC greatly increases tensile strength and provides hydrophobicity while maintaining complete biodegradability. Although BC has numerous excellent properties and great potential in many fields, large-scale production still faces some challenges, mainly high costs and low yields. The use of agro-industrial waste as a substrate and the development of new bioreactors can significantly reduce production costs. Based on the above-mentioned research, it is clear that BC will play an important role in the future sustainable industry.

In addressing the urgent challenge of organic waste management, our study investigates the use of hydrolase-producing bacteria (HPB) co-cultures as atargeted approach to enhance the biodegradation of kitchen waste (KW). This study aimed to isolate HPB with high enzyme activity to facilitate more efficient kitchen waste breakdown. The screening of 26 bacterial strains from fermented vegetables, agricultural soils, and in-house glycerol stock collections revealed Bacillus licheniformis 2D55 and Bacillus xiamenensisY7 as standout candidates, exhibiting multiple hydrolase activities, including amylase, protease, lipase, and cellulase. In co-culture fermentation, these strains demonstrated superior hydrolase activities, microbial count, percentage of biodegraded total solids (TS), and gross degradation rate (GDR) during solid-state fermentation (SSF) compared to monocultures and controls. The co-culture treatments achieved 54.73% and 65% biodegraded TS in sterile and non-sterile SSF, respectively. Additionally, a 25.39% GDR in sterile SSF and 41.36% in non-sterile SSF were observed after the 14-day fermentation process. In the composting experiment, the inoculated compost exhibited a higher biodegraded TS (63.02%) compared to the control (29.80%). These findings underscore the potential of HPB co-cultures as an effective strategy to improve KW biodegradation, contributing to sustainable organic waste management solutions.

Paddy straw waste (PS) is an organic waste that is disposed of in open land after the preparation of rice harvest, which is generated in equal or greater quantities than the rice itself. Generally, it is disposed of in open land, which increases the amount of anthropogenic gases. Converting it into useful energy or a value-added product may reduce the disposal problem and anthropogenic activity. In this study, PS was co-digested with cow dung (CD) to produce biogas via anaerobic digestion. For this purpose, PS was mixed with CD at different proportions, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70, 20:80, and 0:100 on a mass basis. The samples were used in five different anaerobic digesters. The samples were kept in different anaerobic digesters for the study. The effects of important input parameters, such as pH and the Carbon-to-Nitrogen (C/N) ratio, on biogas production were studied. A maximum biogas production was obtained from the co-digestion of a substrate containing 30% ps and 70% Cd, with a digestion time of 20 days, and d3 showed a maximum pH value of 7.16. Further, the collected biogas from the digesters was characterized to ensure its suitability for use as a renewable fuel.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) enhance plant growth through mechanisms such as nutrient solubilization, nitrogen fixation, phytohormone production, and pathogen suppression, yet species from uncommon environments like hill paddy rhizospheric soil remain underexplored. This study aimed to isolate and identify PGPR from hill paddy rhizospheric soil, assess their plant growth-promoting traits, and evaluate their effects on plant growth. Soil samples were processed to isolate rhizobacteria, which were screened for nutrient-solubilizing and nitrogen-fixing abilities, and tested for antifungal activity against Fusarium solani . Selected strains were evaluated using mustard ( Brassica juncea ) as a model plant, and the most promising isolate was identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Eight isolates demonstrated nitrogen fixation and phosphate and potassium solubilization, with one strain, RRZ034, showing consistently higher mean plant growth values, a high phosphate solubilization index (3.42 ± 0.08), and positive antifungal activity. Molecular analysis identified RRZ034 as Pseudomonas nicosulfuronedens , a species with limited previous documentation. These findings highlight the potential of P. nicosulfuronedens RRZ034 as a nutrient-solubilizing and pathogen-suppressing PGPR for future application in sustainable agriculture.

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a remarkable biopolymer synthesised by bacterium, exhibiting exceptional properties. However, conventional Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium, particularly the carbon source, poses challenges of high costs and low productivity. This study explores BNC biosynthesis on a modified HS medium, employing agricultural wastes (sugarcane molasses, banana peel, and pineapple peel) as carbon sources, and compares the overall yield of BNC produced. Sugarcane molasses proved to be the most effective, yielding the highest BNC concentration (8.19 g/L) after 7 days, followed by pineapple peel (2.16 g/L) and banana peel (2.11 g/L). Extensive research was conducted to enhance properties of BNC by an environmentally friendly approach, incorporating silver nanoparticles (AgNP) utilising Momordica charantia fruit extract, resulting in a BNC-Ag nanocomposite. The synthesis involved mixing 1 mM silver nitrate (AgNO3) with 15 mL of M. charantia fruit extract to reduce Ag ions to AgNP, which was confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy with an absorbance peak between 400 and 410 nm. Characterisation using FESEM and TEM on the synthesized BNC showed minimal impact on BNC fiber diameter from waste-derived carbon sources. XRD indicated slight variations in crystallinity index, with the highest (85%) in TSM-derived BNC. FTIR analysis revealed similar chemical profiles across all BNC, indicating cellulose formation. The BNC-Ag nanocomposite exhibited potent antibacterial activity against multi-drug resistant strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) through disc diffusion method with inhibition zones up to 16.8 mm. Overall, the findings from this study contribute to the development of environmentally sustainable for the production of functional BNC materials with enhanced properties for diverse applications.

This investigation focused on analyzing lard derived from pig adipose tissue and two different vegetable oils (crude palm oil and soybean oil) through triacylglycerides (TAGs) and n-alkane profiling, employing chemometrics techniques. Unsaponifiable palm and soybean oils were isolated and examined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to assess their n-alkane profiles. The identified n-alkane profiles were verified by comparing them with n-alkane standards (nC08–nC27). The experimental design incorporated several multivariate techniques, including Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Random Forest (RF), and Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA). According to PLS-DA findings, nC25, nC27, and PPL are suggested as key TAG and n-alkane markers for the clustering analysis of lard from crude palm and soybean oils. These results indicate that further research is necessary to refine and validate these distinctions, especially when using chemometrics techniques.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an important organelle responsible as protein synthesis regulator in plant. High salinity can also lead to the activation of ER stress, caused by the accumulation of misfolded protein. This could lead to a stress response mechanism, unfolded protein response (UPR). Failure of UPR to reverse the effect of protein misfolding will activate Programmed Cell Death (PCD). Metacaspase genes regulate programmed cell death (PCD) in plants. The present study was focused on comprehensive gene analyses of the expression patterns of type II rice metacaspase (OsMC) genes in response to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and salinity stress in rice leaf and OsMC4 in callus. A strong evidence of unfolded protein response (UPR) during tolerance to both ER and salinity stress was found in the present study. Overexpression of OsMC4 in rice callus as a fusion protein with TagRFP and controlled by the CaMV35 promoter caused major changes in the expression of the stress ER-marker genes, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and Binding immunoglobulin Protein (BiP), and OsMC4 in overexpressing calli. These expression analyses of the OsMC family provide valuable information for further functional studies on the biological roles of OsMCs in PCD related to ER and salinity stress responses.

Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) contains a high number of organic materials that cause deleterious effects on the aquatic ecosystem when discharged into water bodies without proper pretreatment. The quality of POME final discharge is usually determined based on chemical monitoring methods such as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). In this study, biological monitoring methods were used to evaluate the toxicity effects of POME final discharge and to characterize the physical and chemical nature of toxicants present in the effluent through acute Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) using Daphnia magna. The Toxicity Unit (TU) and median lethal concentration (LC50) of POME final discharge from the WET test were 11.09 and 9.02% (v/v), respectively. It is recommended that this method be improved to explore more effects of POME final discharge on the aquatic ecosystem.

Several thermostable proteases have been identified, yet only a handful have undergone the processes of cloning, comprehensive characterization, and full exploitation in various industrial applications. Our primary aim in this study was to clone a thermostable alkaline protease from a thermophilic bacterium and assess its potential for use in various industries. The research involved the amplification of the SpSKF4 protease gene, a thermostable alkaline serine protease obtained from the Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius SKF4 bacterium through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The purified recombinant SpSKF4 protease was characterized, followed by evaluation of its possible industrial applications. The analysis of the gene sequence revealed an open reading frame (ORF) consisting of 1,206 bp, coding for a protein containing 401 amino acids. The cloned gene was expressed in Escherichia coli. The molecular weight of the enzyme was measured at 28 kDa using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The partially purified enzyme has its highest activity at a pH of 10 and a temperature of 80°C. In addition, the enzyme showed a half-life of 15 h at 80°C, and there was a 60% increase in its activity at 10 mM Ca2+ concentration. The activity of the protease was completely inhibited (100%) by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF); however, the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) resulted in a 20% increase in activity. The enzyme was also stable in various organic solvents and in certain commercial detergents. Furthermore, the enzyme exhibited strong potential for industrial use, particularly as a detergent additive and for facilitating the recovery of silver from X-ray film.

Background Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element for poultry health and biological functions. Inorganic Zn, like Zn oxide and Zn sulfate, was commonly used in poultry feed due to its low cost. However, the bioavailability of inorganic Zn is low, leading to a high level of Zn being added to the feed and resulting in other issues. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have emerged as a promising alternative to their bulkier counterparts, but concerns about their safety persist. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential benefits and toxicity of dietary ZnO NPs as a feed supplement and antibacterial agent in broiler chickens. Methods 180 broiler chicks (Cobb500) were randomly allocated to five dietary treatment groups (36 birds/group). The experimental treatment groups were as follows: (G1) basal diet supplemented with 100 mg kg(-1) ZnO (control group), (G2-G5) basal diet supplemented with 10, 40, 70, and 100 mg kg(-1) ZnO NPs. The effects of dietary ZnO NPs at different inclusion levels were studied by measuring growth performance (FI, BWG, and FCR), Zn retention, liver enzyme activity, lymphoid organ weight, and gastrointestinal microbial load. Results The results showed that dietary ZnO and different levels of ZnO NPs inclusion had no effect on broiler growth performance (p > 0.05). The birds fed dietary ZnO NPs retained significantly more Zn than the control group (p < 0.05), lowering feces Zn excretion. The supplementation of ZnO NPs did not reduce lymphoid organs weight; in fact, a notable increase in weight was observed in groups supplemented with higher levels of ZnO NPs when compared to the control group. Furthermore, no significant increase in liver weight (p > 0.05) or enzymatic activities (AST and ALT) were observed in birds fed ZnO NPs, indicating no liver damage occurred. ZnO NPs at 100 mg kg(-1) in the diet showed antibacterial effects, reducing Enterococcus spp. and E. coli count significantly, without affecting commensal bacteria (lactic acid bacteria) count. Conclusion The inclusion of ZnO NPs to broiler chicken feed as a Zn source had no negative effects on growth or health. Additionally, it increased Zn absorption and bioavailability, reduced Zn excretion, and exhibited potential antibacterial activity against tested pathogens.

A total of 180 broiler chickens (Cobb500) were randomly allotted to five experimental groups consisting of six replicates and six birds in each pen. Each group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg ZnO (control) and 10, 40, 70, and 100 mg/kg ZnO NPs for 35 days. Resultantly, Zn uptake and accumulation in serum, breast muscle, tibia bone, and liver were linearly and significantly (p < 0.05) increased with increasing dietary ZnO NPs supplementation at 100 mg/kg compared to the control group (dietary 100 mg/kg ZnO), implying effective absorption capacity of ZnO NPs. This was followed by lower Zn excretion in feces in broilers fed ZnO NPs compared to controls (p < 0.05). Furthermore, dietary ZnO NPs at 40, 70, and 100 mg/kg levels improved broiler tibia bone morphological traits, such as weight, length, and thickness. Similarly, tibia bone mineralization increased in broilers fed ZnO NPs at 100 mg/kg compared to the control (p < 0.05), as demonstrated by tibia ash, Zn, Ca, and P retention. Antioxidative status in serum and liver tissue was also increased in broilers fed dietary ZnO NPs at 70 and 100 mg/kg compared to the control (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary ZnO NPs increased Zn absorption in broiler chickens and had a positive influence on tibia bone development and antioxidative status in serum and liver tissue, with dietary ZnO NPs supplementation at 70 and 100 mg/kg showing the optimum effects.

The optimization of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) with maximum yield and smaller particle size synthesized using cell-free supernatant (CFS) of Lactobacillus plantarum TA4 were investigated using a desirability-function based response surface methodology (RSM). A central composite rotatable design (CCRD) with five levels and three factors namely zinc concentration (200-500 mM), pH (6-10), and CFS volume ratio (20-50%) were employed to study the response variables. A total of 20 experimental runs were performed and desirability-function showed that the optimal conditions for the maximum yield and minimum particle size were 352.4 mM of Zn concentration, pH 9, and 25 % of CFS volume ratio. At these optimal conditions, the predicted yield and size of the optimized ZnO NPs were 2.47 g and 75.8 nm, respectively. The validation test showed 2.41 g of yield and an average size of 80.5 nm. The UV-Vis spectroscopy showed the characteristic surface plasmon resonance band (SPR) at an absorption peak of 360 nm, confirming the formation of optimized ZnO NPs. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) demonstrated the small hydrodynamic size and low polydispersity index (PDI) of ZnO NPs at 85.9 nm and 0.243, respectively. A high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) analysis illustrated spherical and oval-shaped ZnO NPs with an average particle size of 29.7 nm. Furthermore, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis showed that biological compounds (proteins, enzymes, and carbohydrates) from CFS were involved in the reduction and capping of ZnO NPs. Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated the crystallinity and thermal stability of ZnO NPs. Furthermore, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and free radical scavenging activity (RSA) of ZnO NPs demonstrated promising antioxidant properties when compared to their bulkier counterparts. Overall, this work paves the way for a cleaner and environmentally friendly production of ZnO NPs for industrial use.

There is limited evidence that Enterobacter hormaechei can improve plant physiology and yield through soil phosphate (P) and potassium (K) amelioration. This study unraveled the effect of different soil inoculation methods i.e., free-cell and encapsulated (alginate bead containing sugar-protein hydrolysate and molasses) E. hormaechei 40a with different rates of PK-fertilization on okra P and K uptake, and soil rhizosphere bacterial community. The results revealed that 3HB (half-dose PK-fertilizer + encapsulated strain 40a) had the highest soil available P (SAP) and K (SAK), as well as P and K uptake for all plant organs, followed by 3F (full-dose PK-fertilizer), 3HI (half-dose PK-fertilizer + free-cell strain 40a), and 3H (half-dose PK-fertilizer), and improved yield by up to 75.6%. Both inoculated and full-dose fertilizer treatments produced larger pods (>15 cm) compared to 3H. We discovered increased bacterial richness and diversity in both 3HB and 3HI samples compared to uninoculated treatments. Both 3HB and 3F treatments were positively correlated with the increasing abundance of Acidobacteriales, Burkholderia caballeronia paraburkholderia, Gemmataceae, and Sphingomonas along with the SAP and SAK. The plant-beneficial effect of one-time 3HB treatment on okra growth and yield was comparable to biweekly inoculation in 3HI, suggesting a new cost-effective farming approach in precision agriculture.

Pursuance of the strong motivation in combating climate change and energy security as well as the desired shift toward biofuels from food waste as a renewable energy sources offers opportunities for the substitution of fossil fuels, thus contributing to better waste conversion in a more sustainable manner. This study reports on the current situation of biofuel production, hypothetical barriers of the food waste feedstock, technology readiness and conversion, policies support, demand of the biofuels, community involvement and additional value creation in the economic sector. Meanwhile, extensive research in laboratory and pilot scale for biofuel production from food waste are reported in this article presenting a major barrier in constructing smart facilities integrating food waste processing and biofuel plant technology, metabolic pathway involved and the policy uncertainty impeding the investment in the large scale. It is worth addressing that this is the first study that provides a better understanding on the factors influencing the viability of biofuel industry utilizing mainly food waste as feedstock. The information offers a new horizon to the government and potential investors in the future development of biofuels from food waste of municipal solid waste.

The extraction of soluble hydrolysate protein and sugar from a biomass cocktail of defatted soybean meal (DSM) and jackfruit peel (JP) was examined using microwave-alkaline hydrolysis by varying the NaOH concentrations (0.04–0.11 M) and residence times (2–11 min). Based on the central composite design, the optimized parameters were achieved at 0.084 M NaOH concentration (100 mL), for 8.7 min at 300 W microwave power level to obtain the highest protein (5.31 mg/mL) and sugar concentrations (8.07 mg/mL) with > 75% recovery. Both raw and detoxified hydrolysate (using activated carbon) were correspondingly biocompatible with Enterobacter hormaechei strain 40a ( P > 0.05) resulting in maximal cell counts of > 10 log CFU/mL. The optimized hydrolysate was prepared as an additive in molasses-alginate bead encapsulation of strain 40a. Further evaluation on phosphate and potassium solubilization performance of the encapsulated strain 40a exhibited comparable results with those of free cell counterpart ( P > 0.05). The DSM-JP hydrolysate cocktail holds potential as a carrier additive of encapsulated-cell bead biofertilizers in order to sustain bacterial cell quality and consequently improve crop growth and productivity.