The undeniable efficiency of these companies and countless others is a direct result of specialization within the food industry; indeed, production processes have been increasingly concentrated into relatively small locations since the invention of canning and the subsequent proliferation of large-scale food production during the 19th century. By utilizing the same or similar raw materials to make large quantities of a single finished product, producers realize lower production costs per unit, and the consumer enjoys lower prices.

For all the economic benefits, however, the concentration of production processes inherently leads to concentration of the by-products of food processing, which are released from food factories into the environment through various pathways. Because these releases can contain components that are detrimental to the health of factories’ immediate surroundings and the health of the globe as a whole, they are generally regarded as pollutants and are subject to regulations administered by the EPA and other more localized agencies.

One such pathway for the release of detrimental by-products is wastewater, of which enormous amounts are generated through food processing in particular. Two regulated and commonly elevated metrics of wastewater discharged from food factories are biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS). BOD refers to the amount of dissolved oxygen that must be present for microorganisms to decompose organic matter in the water, while TSS refers to the weight of solids in water that could be captured by filtering. If left untreated, wastewater with high levels of BOD and TSS will wreak havoc on the environment by lowering oxygen levels to the point of eutrophication, for example, which can kill aquatic life including fish, amphibians, and plants.

To avoid the negative environmental outcomes associated with BOD, TSS, and other elements of wastewater that are compounded by industrial specialization, the EPA requires municipalities and industrial sites to treat their wastewater prior to discharge into a receiving stream. BOD and TSS from food factories, in particular, are best treated with the introduction of targeted microorganisms. EnviroZyme is proud to serve this industry by providing high-quality microbial products and application expertise, helping meet or exceed standards set forth by water authorities and furthering progress toward the national goal established by the Clean Water Act of “eliminating the discharge of all pollutants.”

Appropriately, the substances on which enzymes act are called “substrates,” and the molecules produced as a result are called “products.” Which substrate an enzyme acts on is dependent upon the unique three-dimensional shape of each enzyme.

Substrate	Enzyme
Fat, Oil, Grease	Lipase
Paper	Cellulase
Starch	Amylase
Protein	Protease

Enzymes are not living organisms, but they are produced by cells in living organisms in order to help convert food to energy, build compounds, or remove wastes quickly enough to sustain life.

Enzymes and Bacteria

Bacteria are one-celled organisms that require food (and the vitamins therein), oxygen, water, and appropriate temperatures in order to survive, just like humans. Different bacterial strains will produce different amounts and types of enzymes in order to speed up the break down of complex substrates, and then consume the smaller, simpler products as food.

If bacteria did not create enzymes, complex substrates would take too long to disintegrate into consumable products, and the bacteria would not be able to eat enough in a short enough period of time to survive and reproduce.

Bacteria and Waste

The complex substrates that enzymes act on and bacteria then consume include waste compounds that pollute the environment, such as those listed in the table above. Even substrates that sound relatively harmless, like starch, can and do wreak havoc on the planet and its inhabitants.

Biological remediation is a process through which safe bacteria are selected for the enzymes they produce and are purposefully introduced in a given location in order to remove a specific harmful waste. During this process, bacteria and enzymes work hand-in-hand, and the byproducts of digestion are more bacteria, water, and carbon dioxide, which are natural and inherently harmless. The bacteria continue to reproduce until the bacteria’s food is eliminated.

EnviroZyme is proud to pave the way to a more sustainable future by providing products that facilitate biological remediation. In addition to more than 20 off-the-shelf bacterial strains, we are also able to custom ferment bacterial strains to suit individual waste-elimination needs.

When we say that it’s the EnviroZyme mission to deliver higher standards, we’re not kidding. In fact, we strive to create a Zero-Defect product for our customers. We believe that truly sustainable solutions need to be created right the first time. That’s why we invest in up-front quality control measures.

While some choose to believe that mistakes are inevitable, we choose to believe that perfection is not only possible but also required, given the importance of what we produce and the importance of our customers. Our Zero-Defects Policy implements real solutions to make that happen. For example,

• We test for several pathogenic bacteria.
• We maintain retain samples to ensure we constantly monitor stability.
• We make sure every step is documented and checked over by management prior to release.

We believe in four basic principles:

1. Quality is conformance to requirements.
2. Defect prevention is preferable to quality inspection and correction.
3. Zero Defects is the quality standard.
4. Quality is measured in monetary terms — the Price of Nonconformance.

EnviroZyme’s commitment starts with our new state-of-the-art facility, and it continues through release. Each EnviroZyme process is deliberate, designed to trace each defect back to its root cause. Each cause is then prevented. We operate a multi-stage quality control plan. Via a thorough screening against pathogenic bacteria, our quality control process then ensures that no strain goes untested and no defect goes untraced. It ensures our customers know they’re getting the highest quality strain available.

EnviroZyme’s facility also has a very meticulous HAACP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plan, and adheres to the US Food and Drug Administration’s cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practices) standards.

As you can see, EnviroZyme and quality are synonymous because our customers are more than customers. They’re partners. The EnviroZyme commitment allows our customers to enjoy peace of mind, knowing they’re in trusted hands. From our agriculture to our wastewater treatment, from our janitorial and sanitary products to our custom designed biologicals, EnviroZyme strives to set a higher standard.

EnviroZyme’s mission is to set a higher standard — we’re committed to ensuring the products that bear the EnviroZyme name are the very best. From our growth conditions to the strain production, our specialized teams follow protocols that ensure a quality product for every customer, every time. But you don’t have to simply take our word for it. We’re cGMP compliant.

What is cGMP?

cGMP stands for Current Good Manufacturing Practices and is regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration as the main standard for manufacturing microbial biosolutions. Because it’s well-known, it’s one of the certifications that give our customers peace of mind. They can be assured that every EnviroZyme process is properly documented, designed, monitored and controlled. Giving our customers that peace of mind is vital to EnviroZyme’s mission of delivering a higher standard.

To be compliant, our equipment must be up-to-date, our staff highly trained and qualified, and our processes reliable and reproducible.

We must establish

• Strong quality management systems
• Obtain appropriate quality raw materials
• Establish robust operating procedures
• Detect and investigate product quality deviations
• Maintain reliable testing laboratories

For an in-depth explanation of regulations, please click here.

Why is cGMP important?

Before we can claim a higher standard, we have to start at the baseline. cGMP compliance is that established baseline. Having a third-party independent group inspect and test our operations not only keeps us compliant, but it also keeps us on the cutting-edge of innovation. Plus, cGMP compliance is well known and trusted to ensure consistency of the products – same process, same products, same results.

While we create all biologicals at the highest possible standards, EnviroZyme services the agriculture, aquaculture and wastewater treatment industries. cGMP compliancy was developed to ensure biologicals are safe for use in our food and water. Every decision made reflects our mission of delivering products for our customers that meet a higher standard, the EnviroZyme standard.

Why does EnviroZyme Value cGMP Compliance?

EnviroZyme products are designed and literally grown to tackle some of the toughest cleaning, bioremediation, nutrient absorption and several other challenges. We strive to instill confidence in our customers with a consistent product they can trust and count on that’s supported by our processes and cGMP compliance. It’s our responsibility, and we take it seriously.

EnviroZyme’s very existence relies upon creating highest quality biologicals, and cGMP compliancy is the first step in our ensuring that happens. But we take it even further, and we strive to create zero-defect products. Read more about that here.

Quality is a word thrown around a lot by companies. After all, it’s important in all industries. But for EnviroZyme, it’s more than a buzzword — it’s part of our mission. We take it personally, considering it at every level.

 

What does quality mean?

For us, it means we hold ourselves to a higher standard. Ensuring our customers’ peace of mind is vital. From our state-of-the-art facility to our expert teams, from the complex fermentation process to individual customer projects, the EnviroZyme higher standard of quality is evident. We produce biologicals that perform at optimal levels every time, because our customers’ needs are EnviroZyme needs. Our custom fermentation processes are rooted in science and backed by our commitment to getting the job done right the first time.

Our strain production delivers:

• A product that targets specific problems
• Correct bacteria counts
• High-yielding bacterial performance
• Consistency of bacterial growth

Why is quality important?

Our industry is unique in that it takes the very best of science and creates innovative solutions to solve the basic yet challenging need of cleaning in a way that doesn’t cause harm to the environment or to living creatures. Only a high-quality operation can deliver solutions that are effective. Only EnviroZyme strives for a higher standard, because every decision we make is driven by meeting the needs of our customers, ensuring we present them with the highest quality product available.

We are compliant.

To help ensure a higher standard of quality for our customers, EnviroZyme is Current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMP compliant. Regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, cGMP compliancy is the main standard for manufacturing microbial biosolutions. To be compliant, our equipment must be properly validated, our staff highly trained and qualified, and our processes reliable and reproducible. Learn more about cGMP here.

Just the beginning.

We don’t stop at compliancy, though. We’re committed to setting a higher standard and producing the highest quality biologicals. In fact, we strive for zero-defect.

In every industry, defects cost time, money and quality. In the world of fermentation and microbial solutions, even the smallest defect can be the difference between a prosperous crop and a field of spoiled product. That's where EnviroZyme comes into play.

 

We know the products we create affect our customers end results and the work they do every day. That's why we hold ourselves to a higher standard, taking pride in our mission to develop environmentally friendly products at the highest quality possible. It's engrained in who we are as a company and what we stand for.

We take defect prevention for quality biosolutions seriously and believe that it all starts with the fermenter grower. That's what makes EnviroZyme unique: we start the process by growing our own strains.

From the very beginning to the very end, EnviroZyme controls the microbial fermentation process. It’s who we are and it’s what we do. No strain goes untested and no defect goes untraced. Our commitment to quality and strive for a zero-defect product is what drives our processes forward – producing the very best biosolutions.

What does a quality process include?
At EnviroZyme, quality biosolutions start at the very beginning - growing. Each strain is tested using 16s or genomic sequencing. We streak each seed out on multiple plates to ensure that there are no hidden contaminants.

From there, we transfer bacteria cultures to pre-sterilized flasks to inoculate pre-sterilized fermenters.

During fermentation, EnviroZyme controls the pH, DO, agitation and air flow. Once fermentation is complete, we pasteurize the bacteria culture and send it through a centrifuge, which is a machine that rapidly rotates its contents to spin out the water.

EnviroZyme then dries the spore slurry and runs it through a series of Quality Control tests including:

• Spore counts
• Tests against pathogenic bacteria

How is quality ensured?
EnviroZyme documents each and every step per current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) standards. This not only holds EnviroZyme accountable and compliant, but instills confidence in our customers that they are receiving a consistent and reliable product. Our meticulous process is tedious, but it holds us to a higher standard and ensures that we are providing the highest quality products to our customers every single time.