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The School of Public Health at Walailak University has developed PRBIO, short for Precision Ready-to-Use Bioaugmentation, a biochar-microbial innovation that converts food waste into a nutrient-rich soil conditioner. The technology is led by Assistant Professor Dr. Saowaluk Krainara of the Department of Environmental Health and Technology, who also serves as Deputy Director of the Research and Innovation Institute of Excellence (RIIE). "It began with a simple question," she said. "How can we take a microorganism from the laboratory and turn it into a technology that works in the real world?"

At its core is a multifunctional microbial strain that breaks down organic matter while also promoting plant growth. The team pairs it with fine biochar, which gives the microbes a stable habitat and improves soil aeration, and crushed crab shells, which supply calcium and minerals and help balance soil pH. Processed through a food composter and fermented with the PRBIO agent for about a week, food waste becomes a nutrient-dense soil amendment suitable for vegetables, flowering plants, fruit trees, and other crops.

A composter isn't strictly necessary, either. "It can be used with household composting," Dr. Saowaluk said. "Especially now, when more people are doing backyard composting in a simple way, they can pour it onto their compost pile to add the beneficial microorganisms from PRBIO, which speeds up decomposition and gives the resulting compost more value for plants."

For Dr. Saowaluk, the real value lies in what the waste becomes rather than just reducing it. "We are moving from waste reduction to waste valorization," she said. "Food waste becomes a resource. Organic matter returns to the soil. Biological technology helps close the loop between consumption, waste, soil, and food production." The team has filed intellectual property protection for its microbial cultivation and preparation process (application number 2503001555) and is in talks with private companies in the biofertilizer and soil amendment sectors about technology transfer and commercialization.

The research is also reaching beyond the compost pile. A Ph.D. student under Dr. Saowaluk’s supervision is studying how the microbial strain interacts with upland rice in southern Thailand, exploring whether it can help the crop withstand drought. Separately, a Program Management Unit for Competitiveness–supported project led by Associate Professor Dr. Pimlapas Pongsakornrungsilp, Dean of the School of Management, and Associate Professor Dr. Siwarit Pongsakornrungsilp, Vice President for Research and Innovation, is applying PRBIO to help small and non-hotel businesses move toward net-zero operations. "One innovation does not have to solve only one problem," Dr. Saowaluk said. "When different disciplines come together, the same scientific discovery can create value across multiple sectors."

Dr. Saowaluk leads the PRBIO team together with colleagues Dr. Avnish Mistry and Dr. Wantanasak Suksong of the School of Public Health. A packaged, market-ready version of PRBIO is expected soon; those interested in the meantime are welcome to contact the School of Public Health directly.

"PRBIO is more than a microbial product," Dr. Saowaluk said. "It represents how research can move from the laboratory into real-world use, connecting waste management, agriculture, business, and industry — turning waste into value and bringing that value back to society and the circular economy."



Photos courtesy of Assistant Professor Dr. Saowaluk Krainara 
News by Settaboot Onphakdee, Division of Corporate Communications