5.8: Understand the Use of an Industrial Fermenter and Explain the Need to Provide Suitable Conditions in the Fermenter, Including Aseptic Precautions, Nutrients, Optimum Temperature and pH, Oxygenation and Agitation, for the Growth of Micro-Organisms

INDUSTRIAL FERMENTATION: Anaerobic process involving the use of microorganisms - Yeast, Bacteria etc, to commercially produce food products in a controlled environment

Diagram:

Diagram showing an Industrial fermenter

SUITABLE CONDITIONS:

CONDITION	EXPLANATION
ASEPTIC PRECAUTIONS	Fermenter is steamed to kill Bacteria and prevent chemical contamination, only allowing desired microorganisms to thrive and carry out metabolic processes to produce desired product
NUTRIENTS	Nutrients are needed for organisms to release energy via respiration for growth, allowing metabolic reactions to occur to produce desired product
OPTIMUM TEMPERATURE AND pH	Temperature and pH probes are used to maintain an optimum environment for enzymes that carry out metabolic process in organisms, allowing organisms to thrive and produce desired product
OXYGENATION	Oxygen is needed organisms to release energy via aerobic respiration for growth, allowing metabolic reactions to occur to produce desired product
AGITATION	Agitation by stirring paddles ensure that microorganisms, Nutrients, Oxygen, temperature and pH is evenly distributed