From Onigiri to the Future: The Xiahui Method of Bioalcohol Fermentation and Japan in 2008 (November 2008)

From Onigiri to the Future: The Xiahui Method of Bioalcohol Fermentation and Japan in 2008 (November 2008)

In 2008, food loss and energy problems were becoming more serious in Japan, and the disposal of expired food products was becoming a social problem. Against this backdrop, Natsuki Sakai, a second-year major student at Fukuoka Agricultural High School, developed the "Natsuki Method of Bioalcohol Fermentation. Sakai attempted to produce ethanol from discarded rice balls, and succeeded in obtaining ethanol with a concentration of 8.5% in five days by utilizing yeast for potato shochu (distilled spirit). Highly acclaimed at academic conferences, this technology attracted attention as a new possibility for recycling waste food. At the time, biofuels were considered a cause of soaring food prices because they were made from corn and other food crops, and there were calls for a shift to non-food resources. Sakai's research responded to this trend and was considered a step toward realizing a recycling-oriented society. Although challenges remain, the challenge from a local agricultur
al high school became a hot topic of conversation as a light shining on Japan's future.