By Alexa Cervantes López, Mariana Franco Morgado, Anayansi Escalante-Aburto y Janet Gutiérrez Uribe
Nejayote is the wastewater generated during the nixtamalization process, an ancestral method for processing corn that enhances the nutritional value, texture, flavor, and digestibility of corn-based products.
This liquid is highly alkaline and contains high levels of pollutants, including elevated concentrations of dissolved and suspended organic matter [1].
Moreover, nejayote is considered a harmful waste product that alters the microbial composition of the soil, disrupts its natural pH balance, and compromises the regenerative capacity of agricultural ecosystems. This results in significant and potentially irreversible environmental damage to soil fertility and biodiversity [2].
In Mexico, large volumes of nejayote—between 13 and 14 million cubic meters—are produced annually [3].
Unfortunately, this wastewater is often discarded without prior treatment, posing a serious environmental problem and wasting potentially valuable resources. Therefore, it should be regarded as a byproduct rather than a waste product of the food industry.
An Alternative for Enhancing Vegetables
To address the need to convert byproducts like nejayote into value-added products, the research project “Agro-inputs Derived from Nejayote” explores its potential as a natural biofertilizer for horticultural crops by evaluating its effects on agricultural soils.
Specifically, this project focuses on fermenting nejayote with consortia of photosynthetic microorganisms for its application as an agricultural input in lettuce cultivation.
Studies have shown that applying this compound during plant growth reduces freshwater use and enhances the phytochemical and functional properties of some vegetables commonly consumed in Mexican cuisine.
For example, lettuce retains water as effectively as commercial fertilizers under this new treatment. Additionally, the treated crops exhibit significant leaf size and fresh weight increases.
The application of fermented nejayote also promotes the biofortification of vegetables, supporting agricultural sustainability and potentially enabling fresh food production in both rural and urban areas.
Nejayote can be transformed from waste into a useful resource that enriches the soil with essential phytonutrients.
The Power of Microorganisms
The results are an alternative approach using consortia of photosynthetic microorganisms—microalgae and cyanobacteria—that can thrive in wastewater and convert contaminants into biomass.
Their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, solubilize phosphorus, and produce phytohormones, makes microalgae and cyanobacteria excellent candidates for agro-input production [4].
Vegetables irrigated with microorganism-treated nejayote have shown a more than 300% increase in total phenolic compounds compared to those irrigated with potable water. Additionally, plant length increased by up to 40%, and some vegetables exhibited a 110% rise in fresh weight.
Fermentation also helps retain soil moisture, as observed in fields irrigated with nejayote enriched with photosynthetic microorganisms.
Implementing these technologies could improve crop nutritional quality, and contribute to circular economies and environmental sustainability—key aspects for the future of global food production.
Furthermore, by aligning with local community needs, this approach strengthens local economies, promoting more resilient and responsible agricultural practices, ensuring a positive impact on human health and environmental conservation.
Research Status
This project, led by researchers from the School of Engineering and Sciences at Tec de Monterrey, is part of the UNAM-Tec Consortium and has been selected as a finalist in the Elsevier 2025 “Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge”.
For further reading, you can refer to:
- Del Valle-Real, M., Franco-Morgado, M., García-García, R., Guardado-Félix, D., Gutiérrez-Uribe, J.A. Wastewater from maize lime-cooking as growth media for alkaliphilic microalgae–cyanobacteria consortium to reduce chemical oxygen demand and produce biomass with high protein content. (2023)
- Valenzuela, E.I., Gutiérrez-Uribe, J.A., Franco-Morgado, M., Cervantes-Avilés, P. Navigating the waters of nixtamalization: Sustainable solutions for maize-processing wastewater treatment. (2023)
References
- Vacio-Muro, K. J., Lozano-Álvarez, J. A., Sánchez-González, M. N., Chávez Vela, N. A., Torres-Ramírez, E., & Jáuregui-Rincón, J. (2020). Remoción de contaminantes del nejayote con alginato y quitosano. Revista internacional de contaminación ambiental, 36(3), 497-515.
- España-Gamboa, E., Domínguez-Maldonado, J. A., Tapia-Tussell, R., Chale-Canul, J. S., & Alzate-Gaviria, L. (2018). Corn industrial wastewater (nejayote): a promising substrate in Mexico for methane production in a coupled system (APCR-UASB). Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25(1), 712-722.
- García-Depraect, O., Gómez-Romero, J., León-Becerril, E., & López-López, A. (2019). A novel biohydrogen production process: Co-digestion of tequila vinasse and nejayote as complex raw substrates using a robust inoculum. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 44(11), 5253-5262.
- Renuka, N., Guldhe, A., Prasanna, R., Singh, P., & Bux, F. (2018). Microalgae as multi-functional options in modern agriculture: current trends, prospects and challenges. Biotechnology Advances, 36(4), 1255-1273.
- Rosentrater, K. A. (2006). A review of corn masa processing residues: Generation, properties, and potential utilization. Waste Management, 26(3), 284-292.
- Wuang, S. C., Khin, M. C., Chua, P. Q. D., & Luo, Y. D. (2016). Use of Spirulina biomass produced from treatment of aquaculture wastewater as agricultural fertilizers. Algal Research, 15, 59-64.
- Rouphael, Y., & Kyriacou, M. C. (2018). Enhancing quality of fresh vegetables through salinity eustress and biofortification applications facilitated by soilless cultivation. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9, 1254.
- Venkata Mohan, S., Nikhil, G. N., Chiranjeevi, P., Nagendranatha Reddy, C., Rohit, M. V., Kumar, A. N., & Sarkar, O. (2016). Waste biorefinery models towards sustainable circular bioeconomy: Critical review and future perspectives. Bioresource Technology, 215, 2-12.
- Pradhan, P., Callaghan, M., Hu, Y., Dahal, K., Hunecke, C., Reußwig, F., … & Kropp, J. P. (2023). A systematic review highlights multiple benefits of urban agriculture besides food. Global Food Security, 38, 100700.
- Azadi, H., Moghaddam, S. M., Burkart, S., Mahmoudi, H., Van Passel, S., Kurban, A., & Lopez-Carr, D. (2021). Rethinking resilient agriculture: From climate-smart agriculture to vulnerable-smart agriculture. Journal of Cleaner Production, 319, 128602.
Authors
Alexa Cervantes López. Biotechnology engineer and master’s student at Tecnológico de Monterrey. Specializes in sustainable agro-inputs and microalgae-based processes. She has worked on circular economy projects and has been awarded the LiFE Trajectory Award, the Diploma of Excellence in Comprehensive Education, and the Diploma of Academic Merit.
Mariana Franco Morgado. Postdoctoral researcher at the School of Engineering and Sciences at Tecnológico de Monterrey and a Level 1 member of Mexico’s National System of Researchers (SNI). She collaborates on projects on the biological treatment of agro-industrial waste to generate new high-value compounds within a circular economy framework.
Anayansi Escalante Aburto. Assistant research professor at the Institute for Obesity Research at Tecnológico de Monterrey and Level 1 National System of Researchers (SNI) member since 2018. She collaborates on projects developing new functional foods and their impact on health and nutrition.
Janet A. Gutiérrez Uribe. Associate Dean of Faculty Development at the School of Engineering and Sciences. A Level 3 member of the National System of Researchers (SNI), she studies the properties of food for the treatment and prevention of chronic degenerative diseases. She was awarded the Rómulo Garza Award 2021 (INSIGNIA category) for her distinguished research career at Tecnológico de Monterrey and received the 2020 Young Researchers Award from the Mexican Academy of Sciences.
