Process will turn waste food into new fuel

STUTTGART, Germany, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Waste from wholesale markets, from mushy tomatoes to brown bananas and overripe cherries, can become fuel instead of just compost, German scientists say.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology in Stuttgart said have found a way to obtain methane from rotting fruits and vegetables generated by wholesale markets, university cafeterias and similar facilities.

Methane obtained by fermenting this food waste can be compressed into high-pressure cylinders and used as fuel, an institute release said.

"The waste contains a lot of water and has a very low lignocellulose content, so it's highly suitable for rapid fermentation," Fraunhofer researcher Ursula Schliessmann said.

Everything generated from the new facility can be utilized, researchers say; the methane, the liquid filtrate and even the sludgy final residue, which can yield more gas with further off-site processing, researchers said.