Published Technical Disclosure Archive

Sourdough Tech: Sustainable Environmental Solutions

Publication ID: 24-11856959_0002_PTD
Published: October 26, 2025
Category:New Applications & Use Cases

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “Sourdough Tech: Sustainable Environmental Solutions,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11856959_0002_PTD, Published October 26, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11856959_0002_PTD
This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,856,959.

Background and Problem Solved

The original patent, 'Sourdough and process for producing same', primarily focused on the production of sourdough for food purposes. However, the core technology of sourdough has the potential to be applied to a broader range of industries, addressing pressing environmental concerns. The present invention addresses the limitations of the original patent by exploring new applications of sourdough in environmental sustainability.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The novelty of the present invention lies in the unexpected application of sourdough technology to environmental sustainability, which is not obvious from the original patent. The inventive step is the recognition of sourdough's potential to address various environmental challenges and the development of novel methods and systems to achieve this.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Alternative embodiments of the invention may include the use of different types of microorganisms, varying fermentation conditions, or combining sourdough with other sustainable materials. Variations of the invention could also include adapting the technology for use in different industries or geographic regions.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The present invention has significant commercial potential in various industries, including environmental remediation, sustainable agriculture, green construction, aquaculture, and food waste management. The target market includes companies, governments, and organizations seeking environmentally friendly solutions to pressing sustainability challenges.

CPC Classifications

SectionClassGroup
A A21 A21D8/045
A A21 A21C1/065
A A21 A21D8/047
A A21 A21D8/06
A A21 A21D13/04

Field of Art

Food fermentation technologies, specifically sourdough production and microbial culture manipulation, with expertise in biotechnology, microbiology, and fermentation processes

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

A professional with advanced degrees in food science, microbiology, or biotechnology, possessing knowledge of fermentation techniques, microbial interactions, and industrial applications of biological systems

Obviousness Rationale

A PHOSITA would recognize that the sourdough microorganism culture disclosed in the source patent inherently contains adaptable microbial properties that could be strategically applied to environmental and industrial challenges. The fundamental principles of microbial fermentation and metabolic processes suggest that extending sourdough technology to bioremediation, sustainability, and waste management represents a predictable and logical technological progression. The source patent's emphasis on complex fermentation processes provides a clear technological foundation for exploring broader applications of microbial cultures.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element
Washing and incubating a fermentable matrix containing various biological substrates including grains, fruits, and organic materials
PTD Variation
Applying sourdough microorganism cultures to soil bioremediation and environmental restoration
Obviousness Reasoning
A PHOSITA would recognize that the microbial interactions described in the source patent naturally suggest potential environmental applications, as the fermentation process demonstrates microorganisms' ability to transform and interact with complex organic substrates
Source Patent Element
Fermentation process involving multiple substrate types and repeated incubation steps
PTD Variation
Creating sustainable building materials by combining sourdough with recycled aggregate
Obviousness Reasoning
The source patent's methodology of repeated fermentation and substrate manipulation implies that a PHOSITA would find it obvious to explore novel material transformation techniques using similar microbial processes
Source Patent Element
Complex fermentation involving grain and pseudocereal substrates with specific pH and microbial interactions
PTD Variation
Developing probiotic systems for aquaculture water quality management
Obviousness Reasoning
The intrinsic understanding of microbial pH regulation and metabolic processes in the source patent would suggest to a PHOSITA that similar principles could be applied to water ecosystem management
Source Patent Element
Detailed fermentation process involving multiple washing and incubation stages
PTD Variation
Industrial kitchen food waste recycling using sourdough-based microbial cultures
Obviousness Reasoning
The source patent's sophisticated fermentation methodology naturally suggests to a PHOSITA that similar microbial transformation techniques could be adapted for waste management and circular economy applications
35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on US Patent 11856959's comprehensive disclosure of sourdough fermentation processes, a person of ordinary skill in the art would find the environmental and industrial applications described herein to be obvious variations of the fundamental microbial transformation techniques. The disclosed methods represent predictable extensions of known fermentation principles, thereby rendering potential patent claims in these domains obvious and non-patentable under standard obviousness analysis.

Original Patent Information

Patent NumberUS 11,856,959
TitleSourdough and process for producing same