Fermentation

Definition
Latin word fervere to boil
Conventional definition: larger molecules to smaller molecules
by using microorganisms
Biotechnology definition: microorganisms growing in large
quantities to produce useful materials
Biochemical definition: oxidation-reduction reactions produce
products

Application
Vaccine, antibiotics, enzymes etc.
 History of fermentation
Ancient era
The use of fermentation (particularly for
beverages) existed in China, India, Egypt
etc.

Loius Pasteur
Paper entitled studies on fermentation
Life without air(incorrect)
Different types of microorganisms cause
different types of fermentations Louis Pasteur in his laboratory

Eduard Buechner
Enzymes produced by microorganisms
cause fermentation
Alcohol and lactic acid fermentation
Microorganisms used in fermentation

Bacteria

Algae

Fungi

Actinomycetes
Components of fermentation process

A generalized schematic representation of a typical fermentation process

Growth curve of microorganism

Fig. Growth curve of microorganism

Modes of operation of fermentation

Batch Process

Continuous Process

fed-batch process
 Batch culture

simplest method
grown on a limited amount of medium

Batch fermenter
Continuous culture

Continuous fermenter
Fed-batch culture

Fed-batch fermenter
 Applications (cont.)

Primary metabolites produced in log phase,

intermediate products of metabolism, required for
either growth or energy

Secondary metabolites Produced in the

stationary phase, antibiotics, alkaloids, toxins etc.

Enzymes Mostly extracellular, sometimes

intracellular

Microbial biomass microbial protein

Applications
Modification of industrial strains of
microorganisms

Produces the desired commercial

metabolite in large quantities compared.
This , can be done by the following two
techniques-
1.Mutation
2.Recombination
 Bioreactor and fermenter
Fermenter: for microbes, Bioreactor : for eukaryotic cells
Size variable ranging from 20-250 million liters or more.
Large scale production (10-100L to1000-million L capacity)

Typical features
Strong enough to withstand the pressure of large vol. of med.
Construction materials- corrosion protection
Control/prevention of contaminants growth
Aerobic microorganisms- provision of sterile air entry
Removal of CO2
Stirrer
Temperature control
pH control
Asceptic withdrawal of culture medium
An industrial fermenter

Diagrammatic representation
of an industrial fermenter
 Newly developed fermenter
Self
 Fermentation medium

Carbon and nitrogen sources used in

fermentation
 Inducers and precursor
Inducer
Yeast extract acts as inducer in streptomycin production.
The yeast extract induces the secretion of an enzyme
called -mannosidase, which exhibits a key role in
streptomycin production.

Precursors
Presence of phenyl acetic acid increases the production
of benzylpenicillin, and the presence of chloride ions
enhances the production of chlortetracycline in the
fermentation.
Inoculum preparation
Preparation of penicillin

Penicillin fermentation
Biosynthesis of penicillin
Extra slide
 Autotrophs, heterotrophs, aerobic
respiration and anaerobic respiration