MDG News and Updates

In your search for environmentally friendly cleaning ingredients, you’ve likely come across the term ‘biosurfactants’. Do you know what they are – and what they do in bio-enzymatic cleaners? Read on to become armed with the knowledge you need to make informed formulation decisions. What is a Biosurfactant? A biosurfactant is a biologically derived substance that helps reduce the surface tension of a liquid in which it’s dissolved. In the context of industrial and institutional cleaning, biosurfactants can be produced by a variety of microorganisms and help breakdown difficult-to-degrade materials like fats, oils and grease (FOG). The biosurfactants produced by microbes in bio-enzymatic cleaners are considered safe with few environmental repercussions surrounding their use. They are widely considered to be non-harmful to both human and animal health and are easily degradable. How Do Biosurfactants Work in Bio-Enzymatic Cleaners? Biosurfactants can help boost the degradation of stains within bio-enzymatic cleaners. First, they reduce the surface tension between two otherwise unmixable liquids (think oil from a stain and water from the cleaner base), combining the two liquids together. With the two liquids blended, the microorganisms within the bio-enzymatic cleaner can digest the oil molecules, helping to remove the stain. Additionally, like traditional cleaners without […]

With environmentally friendly cleaners continuing to trend, more and more chemical manufacturers want to know – what’s inside a bio-enzymatic cleaner? In this article, we’ll walk through some of the common building blocks within formulations. Not all ingredients are essential for every product as it depends upon the application, but by understanding each element, you’ll know what you may want to request when discussing products with a manufacturing partner like us. Microorganisms A foundational ingredient to many bio-enzymatic cleaners are live microorganisms. At MDG, we manufacture a type of rod-shaped bacteria called Bacillus that can be used in janitorial and sanitation cleaning solutions to reduce fats, oils, grease (FOG) and the sources of odor in carpets, hard surfaces, bathroom utilities and other applications. Enzymes Enzymes are proteins that are commonly produced by microorganisms, including Bacillus, that speed up specific chemical reactions to help break down complex materials like fat, oil, grease and even paper products! Adding enzymes to industrial and institutional bio-enzymatic products such as household cleaners and odor removers can accelerate the cleaning process and increase effectiveness. These enzymes act immediately, allowing microorganisms present to metabolize the nutrients efficiently. Surfactants Surfactants are commonly added to cleaners to act as a detergent, wetting agent, […]

In the restaurant industry, it is common for under-maintained grease interceptors to produce heavy fats, oils, and grease (FOG). Fats, oils, and grease accumulated within collection systems from residential areas and restaurants are common as well! Managing and maintaining FOG is important for reducing odors for customers and citizens. Fats, oils, and grease that originate from restaurants, residential homes, and food processing facilities are commonly discharged into sewer systems. Picture things like vegetable oil and solid fats, such as lard. They eventually accumulate and can cause blockages in drainage systems, grease traps, and lift stations. Luckily for us (and our customers), FOG and other solids can be effectively broken down, digested, and removed with the use of bioaugmentation products by making the entire population more efficient. Tool #1: Bacillus Produce Enzymes Bacillus can produce a broad array of enzymes including esterase and lipase. These enzymes hydrolyze or break down FOG into smaller molecules for Bacillus and other species of bacteria to use as a source of energy. By making more food available, Bacillus can enhance a native microbial population, which then assists in the further removal of FOG. In addition to esterase and lipase, Bacillus also secretes other classes of enzymes including, proteases, amylase, and more. Why is this important? […]

In 2023, our experts brought MDG’s wastewater success stories to our exhibition booth at Aquatech Amsterdam, the world’s leading trade exhibition for process, drinking, and wastewater. In addition to participating in the exhibition, Josiah Menako, one of our wastewater technical support leads, presented his talk “Benefits of Bioaugmentation”. “We’re excited to enter the European market more intentionally as a leader in biotechnology, bringing solutions and benefits to wastewater treatment and the environment,” said Menako prior to the show. Menako’s presentation went in depth about real-world successes from Biotifx® trials and the return on investment brought to distributors treating wastewater using bioaugmentation. Biotifx® Bacillus enhances and shifts the native microbial population to efficiently digest organic material in municipal and industrial wastewater. The presentation covered two Biotifx® bioaugmentation white papers with meta-analysis data and results from sludge digestion in lagoons and hydrogen sulfide reduction in collection systems. The referenced MDG white papers are published through Wastewater Digest and the Association of Water Technologies’ The Analyst. Interested in meeting us at the next show we attend? Sign up for our newsletter today so you can stay up to date on all things wastewater at MDG!

Consumers in the industrial and institutional market are becoming increasingly interested in cleaning products that are easier on the environment. As a manufacturer, you may be looking to enhance your product offerings with microbial ingredients to meet this growing demand. If you’re new to biological solutions, we’re the perfect partner for you! We specialize in Bacillus, crafting high-quality bacterial ingredients that effectively reduce built-up waste, odor, and more across multiple applications in the industrial and institutional market. But our support doesn’t stop when we ship you the final ingredient. At MDG, we value long-term, strategic partnerships that provide support for your teams and help you take your business to new heights. Take a look at a specific example of how MDG’s guidance and support helped an industrial and institutional customer increase their sales of microbial-based products. Ingredient Support Part of our partnership includes access to the education and training you need to create an effective biological cleaning product. The customer received recommendations from our expert microbiologists on formulation best practices so that they could craft a high-quality product while reducing the chance of spoilage or decreased effectiveness. This guidance, along with additional market analysis, helped our customer make educated and […]