MDG News and Updates

As a follow up to the article “The Key Drivers Behind MDG’s Current Expansion,” I’d like to take this opportunity to talk more extensively about the expanding Bacillus market. Previously, I eluded that many of the current market opportunities were due to the increased demand across multiple industries. In particular, the following four main areas are what prompted Microbial Discovery Group’s (MDG) fermentation expansion: Antibiotic alternatives Human probiotics usage Continued Growth in the Biopesticide and Biofertilizer Industries Emerging markets Antibiotic Alternatives Due to the numerous consequences involved with their usage, recent regulations and consumer pressures have prompted a reduction in antibiotic use on animals. Meat and poultry companies across the globe recognize the consumers’ desire for safe products that feed themselves and their families. This has resulted in the industry taking a hard look into environmentally friendly methods that improve gut health, as well as improve feed conversion. Acidifiers, yeast feed additives, Lactobacillus and Bacillus have all benefited greatly from the reduction of antibiotic usage. Domestically, the poultry industry has lead the charge on antibiotic reductions and have put pressure on the swine, dairy and beef markets to follow suit. With the popularity of antibiotic alternatives in animal feed on the rise, we have seen a rapid increase […]

With our growing population, it has become increasingly important to improve upon and advance current waste management technologies. In industrial and consumer markets, biological products are often selected as an environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient option. These have the capabilities of removing both chemical and biological contaminants, as well as accelerating the breakdown of other types of substrates. Products including both microbial inoculants and enzyme concentrates are commonly used in a variety of industrial and household applications. For example, because of their ability to remove unwanted organic matter build up and removal of biofilms, these kinds of products are currently being sold for drain and grease trap applications. In the landfill and waste management industry, both enzymes and bacteria can be used to break down complex waste particles and improve soil/water quality. However, the ways in which enzymes and bacteria work are significantly different. Using cutting edge techniques, Microbial Discovery Group (MDG) is researching both enzyme and microbial degradation to optimize approaches to break down plastic bags in landfills. Enzymes: Fast and Highly Specific Enzymes are non-living proteins produced by organisms such as bacteria, fungi, plants and higher life forms. These proteins help catalyze chemical reactions, working in conjunction with substrates. Enzymes function […]

Summer is the height of tourist season and cities become flooded with people who are eager to dine out. As a cleaning product manufacturer, you play a vital role in providing solutions for maintaining restaurant fats, oils, and grease (FOG) By utilizing our Bacillus-based cleaning ingredients, manufacturers can create effective products that can help manage FOG in restaurant grease traps. During this busy time, when FOG accumulation is high, it’s important to ensure proper maintenance of grease traps to help control the chances of blockages, backups, and sewage overflows. The Bacillus breaks down and digests existing and accumulating FOG to help control potential issues. What Happens When Grease Traps Are Not Maintained: During busy times, food prep and dishwashing duties send food scraps down the garbage disposal and drain. This disposal causes grease traps and sewer pipes to fill with FOG quickly. As the FOG solidifies in the sewer pipes, it causes blockages that lead to backups and sewage overflows. When FOG build-up is not properly maintained, unpleasant odors and even greater challenges can arise. The EPA estimates about half of all the 400,000 annual sewer blockages in the United States are caused by grease, and the grease contributes to many of […]

If you are attempting to ship your Bacillus powder products internationally to certain countries, your product may be sent for a third party plate count prior to approval. It is very important that you understand which plating method will be used to enumerate the product. If you don’t understand the method and the weaknesses of each method as it relates to Bacillus spores, you may have a surprise coming. The truth is; there is no standard method for plating high count Bacillus powders. Because there is no standard method for plating Bacillus powders, most labs will attempt to use a plate count method for plating water or wastewater. These types of methods will hang you out to dry pretty quickly as they just aren’t meant for your types of products.Here are some of the key concerns you will need to navigate along the way. Certified laboratory: Often, you will hear that customers sent your product to a certified laboratory. When I hear that a “certified lab” provided plating results, I always ask in which areas are they certified?  Their answer will often be your first clue that they may not be using the right procedure for your product.  Most often they are a certified drinking water laboratory or have wastewater […]

At MDG, we continue to discover all the possibilities to treat wastewater with Bacillus. Through years of research and development, we’ve found that bioaugmentation is the answer for wastewater treatment. Bioaugmentation is the process of adding scientifically selected organisms to a microbial community to enhance that community. The term bioaugmentation is often used to describe biological processes in wastewater treatment when using Bacillus products. We work directly with distributors in the wastewater treatment market to deliver ready-to-use solutions on a global scale.     Why are bioaugmentation products used? Not every species and strain of bacteria are good at everything. Bioaugmentation products are used when you want to improve an aspect of an environment biologically (i.e., eliminate foul odors, digest wastewater sludge, etc.). While the existing community of bacteria are good at certain things, when we introduce specific strains that are better than others, we can make the entire population more efficient. For example, in wastewater treatment, while the existing community may be good at breaking down specific substrates, the addition of Bacillus increases the ability to break down compounds with enzymes. This process allows the whole community to digest more efficiently.  Bacillus has been shown to significantly reduce fats, oils, grease (FOG), sludge, odors, carbon oxygen […]

  Part of what is driving Microbial Discovery Group’s (MDG) current expansion is our desire to produce 50+ strains. Why do we want to be a Bacillus company that produces 50+ strains? Essentially, to offer the best service and products for our customers. Below are the three main reasons why our drive to produce 50+ strains is fueling our expansion. MDG’s belief in multi-strain product offerings The current Bacillus strain renaissance Competitive advantage MDG’s belief in multi-strain product offerings At MDG, we like adding multiple strains to our products. With the vast array of strains in our library, it is difficult to only put one or two of them in our wastewater, bioremediation, janitorial, sanitation, or landfill products. We like making 6-7 strain products, with each strain being complementary to the other rather than copies of one another. We do this to ensure the success of our products. For example, when these strains hit a wastewater lagoon, who knows what substrates, temperatures, oxygen, and pH conditions they will find. You must be prepared with a broad and complementary team of strains. Because of this, we need the ability to grow a lot of different strains. The expansion was necessary to ensure our ability to […]

We believe that everyone can make a difference, but only through action. MDG recognizes the need for sustainable solutions to the world’s largest problems: Lack of accessible food Limited access to clean water, and Poor sanitation and disease These issues compel us every day to work towards our vision to FEED, CLEAN, and SAVE THE WORLD. Our programs, products, and biological solutions have the ability to play an integral role in providing millions of nutritious meals, creating clean water, and saving thousands of lives on a global basis. Locally, we also like to extend ourselves through volunteer opportunities that are aligned with our vision and values to affect positive change. With the support and inspiration of our partners, WE ARE TAKING ACTION. This year has been marked by our unwavering commitment to local outreach and community service. We’ve dedicated ourselves to supporting various vital missions aimed at nourishing our neighbors and, in the process, saving countless lives. In February 2023, MDG employees volunteered time at local community meal programs, The Gathering and St. Vincent de Paul, where we prepared and served freshly cooked meals to the hungry and homeless. As March rolled in, we continued our tradition of hosting an annual blood drive in collaboration with Versiti […]

According to a study by the EPA 53% of home septic systems were found to be ill-maintained. Ill-maintained septic systems that start with minor issues can turn into septic system failures, resulting in backups and odors, leaving your customers with quite the mess to clean up and having to dip into their rainy-day funds. As a cleaning product manufacturer, your ability to provide your customers with reliable septic system maintenance demonstrates your commitment to help prevent problems, earn their trust, and save them money. Like household appliances that require maintenance, septic tanks are no exception. Neglecting to maintain a residential or commercial septic tank can lead to sewage odors around the septic tank or drainfield, as well as sewage back-up through toilets, drains, and sinks. Maintaining your customers’ septic systems can include a microbial-based solution such as Bacillus which will help to continuously break down and remove solids and odors to help prevent septic system failures. Treatment with Bacillus-based bacteria will increase overall bacterial activity in the community and help to digest the excess organic material that can lead to clogs, backups, and odors. Septic systems are constantly accumulating new organic material and new members to the microbial community that […]

The rising demand for artificial grass and turf has led to thousands of installations across America, with over a thousand more being added annually.² Schools, municipalities, and businesses are increasingly adopting artificial grass and turf as a sustainable solution. However, it is common for unwanted contaminants and odors to accumulate on artificial grass and turf from various sources such as oil and grease from vehicles and equipment, debris, waste from animals, and more. Regardless of the type of activity occurring, owners want to ensure their artificial grass and turf are maintained. The importance of synthetic grass maintenance is becoming increasingly relevant to your customers in the industrial and institutional market. Artificial Grass vs Turf: What’s the Difference? “Artificial grass” and “turf” are often used interchangeably, but they have minor differences². Both names refer to different types of synthetic grass³. Typically, the pristine grass fields seen in residential or commercial landscaping applications, big club stadiums, and professional sports fields are known in the industry as artificial grass. Artificial grass has longer blades, providing a more natural appearance, and is enhanced with additional cushion or infill for falls and natural ball bounce. Artificial grass may even have shock pads for players, along […]

Bacillus Species Identification Methods: Definitions, Pros, and Cons Understanding the effectiveness of Bacillus products is easy to understand because in many cases we can visibly see the difference. But, it is hard to see what exactly makes up the product. Like most companies, you have probably asked suppliers “what species and how many strains of Bacillus do you have?” This may have been followed up with a straight answer from the supplier but you found that your lab results didn’t match up. Or, maybe you have asked that question only to be replied to with more questions. Like most suppliers, we have been asked that question many times. Seems like a simple question, right? At first glance this question appears straight-forward, but in actuality it is fairly complex. It is important to understand what contributes to the complexity of this question, why suppliers respond the way they do, and the best practices for getting an accurate answer. The Big Question: What species and how many strains of Bacillus do you have in a particular product? The Bacillus genus contains a broad range of species and strains with a wide variety of physiologic capabilities; this is precisely what we love about […]