Food waste treatment using Bacillus species isolated from food wastes and production of air-dried Bacillus cell starters

The objectives of this research were to 1) isolate and identify thermophilic bacteria for food waste treatment; 2) investigate the capability of food waste treatment using Bacillus species; and 3) develop air-dried Bacillus starters for food waste treatment. Five Bacillus species were isolated from food wastes and identified as Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) G1, Bacillus circulans C2, Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) E1, Bacillus vanillea F1, and Bacillus atrophaeus G2 based on 16S rDNA sequencing. Each identified Bacillus and the mixture of Bacillus species were cultivated in the standard food waste at $45^{\circ}C$ for 8 d. Changes in cell count, solid contents, and pH of the food waste were monitored during cultivation. Air-dried Bacillus cell powders were prepared using wheat flour and lactomil as excipients, and the cell count and survival rate were determined. The cell count of B. licheniformis G1 exhibited the highest number among the tested Bacillus (${\sim}10^8CFU/mL$). The greatest reduction in solid contents of food waste was achieved by B. subtilis E1 (22.6%). The mixture of B. licheniformis G1 and B. subtilis E1 exhibited a synergistic effect on the reduction of solid contents. Lactomil was determined as better excipient than wheat flour based on the greatest survival rate of 95%.