Fermentation
Edited by Jamie (ScienceAid Editor), Taylor (ScienceAid Editor), Jen Moreau
Fermentation is any process where microorganisms use an external food source for energy. This process is done in a fermenter. Conditions are controlled by mixing using a water jacket.
Fermenter
Below is a diagram of a simple fermenter. In industry, these would be very large and would have lots of different pipes and tubes coming out of them for various functions.
| Paddles | Inside the fermenter, they are rotated to evenly distribute the mixture. |
| Water Jacket | Cold water is pumped through this to reduce and maintain the temperature. Respiration by microorganisms heats it up. |
| Data Logger | Measures a range of conditions (temperature, pH, oxygen concentration). Measurements can be used to adjust the conditions in the fermenter. |
| Products | Products are removed, all at once in batch culture or bit by bit in continuous. |
| Air Supply | Provides oxygen for respiration. Must be sterilized so no extra microorganisms contaminate the fermenter. |
Yogurt Production
A fermentation process is used to make yogurt. Milk contains the sugar lactose; and some bacteria will ferment lactose to produce lactic acid. Yogurt is produced by batch culture, where pasteurized milk has the bacteria Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus added. The mixture is maintained at a temperature of around 40°C. The bacteria will produce lactic acid by respiration, and this lowers the pH. When it reaches a target, the product is harvested.
Referencing this Article
If you need to reference this article in your work, you can copy-paste the following depending on your required format:
APA (American Psychological Association)
Fermentation. (2017). In ScienceAid. Retrieved Jun 4, 2023, from https://scienceaid.net/biology/micro/fermentation.html
MLA (Modern Language Association) "Fermentation." ScienceAid, scienceaid.net/biology/micro/fermentation.html Accessed 4 Jun 2023.
Chicago / Turabian ScienceAid.net. "Fermentation." Accessed Jun 4, 2023. https://scienceaid.net/biology/micro/fermentation.html.
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
Comments
Article Info
Categories : Micro
Recent edits by: Taylor (ScienceAid Editor), Jamie (ScienceAid Editor)
