FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Topic: Fermentation

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 1

Fermentation
Pasteur’s definition: “life without air”
Fermentation technology is the oldest of all biotechnological
processes
Fermentation is a process of chemical change caused by
microorganisms usually producing energy or heat.
Microbiologists consider fermentation as any process for the
production of a product by means of mass culture of micro-
organisms.
Biochemists consider fermentation as an energy-generating process.

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 2

Some Important Process under Fermentation
Fermentation under controlled conditions involves chemical conversions and some
of the important processes are:
Oxidation: e.g. ethyl alcohol to acetic acid, sucrose to citric acid, and dextrose to
gluconic acid.
Reduction: e.g., aldehydes to alcohols (acetaldehyde to ethyl alcohol) and sulfur
to hydrogen sulfide.
Hydrolysis: e.g., starch to glucose and sucrose to glucose and fructose and on to
alcohol.
Esterification: e.g., hexose phosphate from hexose and phosphoric acid.

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 3

Terminology
Bioprocess: Any process that uses living cells or their components
(e.g. bacteria, enzymes, chloroplasts) to obtain desired products.
Substrate: The material on which an organism lives, grows, or
obtains its nourishment (serves as food source for cells). It can be
biotic or abiotic (non-living) materials.
Catalyst: A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without
being consumed or produced by the reaction. Proteins that act as catalysts in
biochemical reactions are called enzymes.
Enzyme: A specialized chemical that helps living organisms perform a task.
In bioreactors, enzymes created by microorganisms attack the plant cell wall
and break it up to get the glucose out.
Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 4
Terminology
Bioreactor:
An apparatus (usually jacketed cylindrical vessel) for growing organisms
such as bacteria, viruses, or yeast that are used in the production of
pharmaceuticals, antibodies, vaccines, or for the bioconversion of organic
wastes.
Fermentation
Conversion of carbohydrate (eg. sugar) into acid or alcohol by yeast or
bacteria.
Fermentation typically refers to the fermentation of sugar to alcohol using
yeast, but other fermentation processes include making of yogurt, souring
of milk.
Microbiologists consider fermentation as any process for the production of
a product by means of micro-organisms.
Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 5
TYPES OF FERMENTATION
Anaerobic fermentation
Some micro organism do not require oxygen and this type of fermentation
is called anaerobic fermentation.
Alcohols are prepared by this process.

Aerobic fermentation
Aerobic fermentation require the use of substantial amounts of oxygen.
Enzymes, vaccines and vinegar are produced by this type.

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 6

 Typse of Fermentation Technique?
It can be divided into types: Surface (emersion) and submersion techniques.
In the surface techniques, the microorganisms are cultivated on the surface of a
liquid or solid substrate. These techniques are very complicated and rarely used
in industry.
In the submersion processes, the microorganisms grow in a liquid medium.
Except in traditional beer and wine fermentation, the medium is held in
fermenters and stirred to obtain a homogeneous distribution of cells and
medium. Most processes are aerobic, and for these the medium must be
vigorously aerated. All important industrial processes (production of biomass
protein, antibiotics, enzymes and sewage treatment) are carried out by
submersion processes.

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 7

Some important fermentation products
Product Organism Use

Ethanol Saccharomyces Industrial solvents,

cerevisiae beverages
Glycerol Saccharomyces Production of
cerevisiae explosives
Lactic acid Lactobacillus Food and
bulgaricus pharmaceutical
Acetone and Clostridium Solvents
butanol acetobutylicum
-amylase Bacillus subtilis Starch hydrolysis

8
 Application
In food industry, fermentation provides the benefits of food preservation, nutrition
enhancement, improved flavors and greater safety.

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 9

Fermentation as a Unit Process
Various steps are similar to those employed in more common chemical synthesis,
except for the fact that biological system is involved.
Raw materials for the various fermentation processes are similar.
Particular product depends on selection of proper micro-organism.
The last step is proper separation of product from aqueous medium.

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 10

Basic Requirement for Good Fermentation

A micro-organism must form a useful product, it must be readily propagated.

Economically attractive raw material in good supply and predictably uniform in
composition must be available.
A rapid fermentation time is desirable.
Product should be easy to recover and purify.
The micro-organism is the heart of whole synthetic process. it must produce the
desired product with a minimum of byproduct.

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 11

Fermenter/Bioreacter
The heart of the fermentation process is the fermenter.
In general:
• Stirred vessel, H/D  3
• Volume 1-1000 m3 (80 % filled)
• Biomass up to 100 kg dry weight/m3
• Product 10 mg/l –200 g/l

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 12

Typical Fermenter/Bioreactor
• Fermenters /bioreactors are equipped with an aerator to
supply oxygen in aerobic processes.
• A stirrer to keep the concentration of the medium
uniform.
• A thermostat to regulate temperature
• A pH detector and similar control devices.

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 13

Typical Fermenter or Bioreactor

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 14

Component of vessel
 Round bottom (top plate)  Baffles

 Seal  Air Filter

 Sample pipe  Dissolved oxygen electrode

 pH electrode
 Port fittings of various sizes
 Antifoam probe
 Special inoculation port
 Cooling Valve
 Gas sparger
 Heater pad
 A drive motor
 Pt-100 temperature sensor
 Drive shaft
 Cold finger
 Impellers  Reagent bottles
 Controller base unit  Sample device

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 15

Steps consider to design the Fermenter/Bioreactor
Operating under aseptic condition for a long periods of time.
Interplay of transport parameter.
Ability to control process parameters such as Temperature,pH.
Supply of certain amount of oxygen.
Power requirement for mixing should be minimum.
Amount of mixing should be adequate.
Flexibility in operation.
Vessel geometry should be such that it should facilitate scale up.
Operating cost should be minimum.

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 16

 Controlled Operation of Fermenter

 Process parameter for control

 Monitoring parameters
Process Parameter for Control
 Physical Parameter
 Chemical Parameter
 Biochemical Parameter

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 17

 Physical Parameter for Control
 Temperature
 Pressure
 Viscosity
 Liquid level
 Foam Level
 Gas flow rate
 Liquid Flow rate
 Agitator speed

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 18

 Chemical Parameter for Control
 pH
 Oxygen conc.
 Outlet gas composition
 Froth Composition

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 19

 Biochemical Parameter for Control
 Biomass composition

 Enzyme concentration

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 20

 Monitoring Parameter
 Steady flow rate

 Acid/Alkali input

 Gas/liquid flow rate

 Foam breaking

 Agitator speed

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 21

 Types of Fermenter/Bioreactor
 Stirred Tank reactor

 Packed bed reactors

 Trickle bed reactors

 Fluidized bed reactor

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 22

Types of Fermenter/Bioreactor
On basis of operational mode, fermenters/bioreactors are classified as:

 Batch

 Fed-Batch

 Continuous

 Semi continuous

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 23

THANK YOU

Hafiza Aroosa Aslam Khan 24