Industrial fermentation
Industrial fermentation is a chemical engineering term used to describe the processes that utilize a chemical change induced by a living organism or enzyme, in particular bacteria, yeasts, molds, or fungi, that produces a specific product. Fermentation is the breaking down of sugar molecules into simpler compounds to produce substances that can be used in making chemical energy.
Technology providers
Feedstock
First generation feedstocks, such as: corn, wheat, sugarcane, potato, sugar beet, rice and plant oil
Second generation feedstocks, such as: lignocellulosic biomass or woody crops, agricultural residues or waste.
Process and technologies
Industrial fermentations may be carried out batchwise, as fed-batch operations, or as continuous cultures. Batch and fed-batch operations are quite common, continuous fermentations being relatively rare [1] Typically, a pure starter culture (or seed), maintained under carefully controlled conditions, is used to inoculate sterile Petri dishes or liquid medium in the shake flasks. After sufficient growth, the preculture is used to inoculate the seed fermenter. Because industrial fermentations tend to be large (typically 1–250 m3), the inoculum is built up through several successively larger stages, to 5–10% of the working volume of the production fermenter.
Types of fermentation[2]
- Alcoholic fermentation
- Lactic acid fermentation
- Propionic acid fermentation
- Butyric acid — butanol Fermentation
- Mixed acid fermentation
Product
Several products possible, examples
- Speciality carbohydrates,
- Industrial enzymes
- surfactants
- organic acids
- solvents
- flavours and fragrances
- biostimulants
- polymers
- protein concentrates
- nutraceuticals
- advanced fuels
References
- ↑ Y. Chisti, 2014: Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology (Second Edition). Science Direct, {{{place}}}.
- ↑ , 2021: 5 Main Types of Fermentations 30/08/2021, Last access 30/08/2021. https://www.biologydiscussion.com/organism/metabolism-organism/5-main-types-of-fermentations/50854