1.

2 I N T R O D U C T I O N
TO
FERMENTATION
 The term fermentation can be used to describe
any process involving the production of
organic products by the mass culture of a
microorganism (bacteria, yeast and fungi).

Unbaffled flask
Fermentation using  The four groups of commercially 
recombinant  important fermentation using 
microorganism normal microorganisms are; 
A microorganisms  (ii) production of microbial cell 
foreign product:  (biomass), 
referred to as a 
(iii) production of microbial enzymes, 
product  from 
recombinant DNA  (iv) production of microbial 
technology or  metabolites, and 
genetically engineered 
(v) transformation processes - to 
strain, i.e. 
modify a compound which is 
recombinant strain 
added to the fermentation (eg., 
(eg., insulin, vaccines, 
certain amino acids and fine 
interferon, human 
chemicals)
protein, erythropoitein 
- epo)
Fermentations can be carried out either 
as submerged (liquid medium) or solid 
state (solid or semi solid medium) 
fermentation process. 

More than 90% of industrial processes 
are carried out as submerged 
fermentation 
A generalized schematic representation of a typical 
submerged fermentation process 
•Main industrial equipment required for 
the fermentation process is large scale 
aseptic fermentation vessel which is 
termed as the fermenter or bioreactor. 

•Main function of a fermenter is to 
provide a controlled environment for the 
growth of a microorganism to obtain a 
desired product. 

•Fermenter should be capable for being 
operated aseptically for a number of days 
and should be reliable in long-term 
operation. 

•For aerobic fermentation, adequate 
aeration and agitation should be provided 
to meet the metabolic requirements of the 
microorganism. However, the mixing 
should not cause damage to the 
microorganism. 
INDUSTRIAL BIOREACTORS

There may be biological waste treatment in larger

vessels, but the world’s largest fermenter is shown in
these photos taken from Chemical and Engineering
News. The fermenter is shown in 200 ft high and 25 ft
diameter.
The success of a 
fermentation depends 
upon the existence of 
defined environmental 
conditions for biomass 
and product formation.
 Thus temperature, 
pH, degree of 
agitation, oxygen 
concentration in the 
culture and other 
factors may have to be 
kept constant during 
the process. 
The provision of such 
conditions requires 
careful monitoring of 
the fermentation so 
that any deviation 
from the specified 
optimum might be 
corrected by a control 
system. 
Typical Microbial growth
phases
 The fermenter could also be operated in different modes aims at 
improving the performance.
BATCH FERMENTATION
Considered to be a closed
system. At time t=0 the
sterilized nutrient solution in
the fermenter is inoculated
with microorganisms and
incubation is allowed to
proceed. In the course of the
entire fermentation, nothing
is added, except oxygen (in
case of aerobic
microorganisms), an antifoam
agent, and acid or base to
control the pH. The
composition of the culture
medium, the biomass
concentration, and the
metabolite concentration
generally change constantly
as a result of the metabolism
of the cells.
FED BATCH FERMENTATION
Substrate is added in increments as the
fermentation progresses. In the fed-batch
method the critical elements of the nutrient
solution are added in small concentrations at
the beginning of the fermentation and these
substances continue to be added in small
doses during the production phase.
CONTINUOUS FERMENTATION

An open system is set up. Sterile nutrient solution is added to

the bioreactor continuously and an equivalent amount of
converted nutrient solution with microorganisms is
simultaneously taken out of the system.

Feed  Fi
medium 
reservoir V

Productivity = (F/V) x Product  Fo
concentration in outflow Outflow 
containing 
product
 Continuous Fermentation

Fresh growth medium is

added continuously
during fermentation and
spent medium is
removed.

Fermentation can last

up to 1,000 hours.
Think..