Fermentation engineering is a new technology that uses modern engineering technology to produce useful products for human beings by using some specific functions of microorganisms or directly applying microorganisms to industrial production processes.

The content of fermentation engineering includes strain selection, medium configuration, sterilization, seed expansion and inoculation, fermentation process and product separation and purification (biological separation engineering), etc.

Applications of fermentation engineering

Fermentation engineering has been widely used in many fields such as pharmaceutical industry, food industry, agriculture, metallurgical industry, environmental protection, etc. with the characteristics of mild production conditions, abundant and inexpensive sources of raw materials, specific products, low environmental pollution and easy disposal of waste, and has gradually formed a large scale fermentation industry.

Application in pharmaceutical industry

The application of fermentation engineering in pharmaceutical industry has been very effective, producing such as antibiotics, vitamins, animal hormones, medicinal amino acids, nucleotides and so on. At present, there are more than 100 kinds of antibiotics in common use, such as penicillin, cephalosporin, erythromycin and tetracycline. Other genetically engineered drugs produced in large quantities by fermentation engineering include growth hormone, recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, certain types of monoclonal antibodies, interleukin-2, anti-hemophilic factor, etc.

Applications in the food industry

Fermentation engineering is widely used in food industry, mainly including.

First, the production of traditional fermented products, such as beer, fruit wine, vinegar, etc., so that the quality and yield of the products can be significantly improved.

Secondly, the production of food additives. Such as L-malic acid, citric acid, glutamic acid, erythropoietin, high fructose syrup, etc.

Third, the production of single-cell protein.

Application in agriculture

Microbial engineering technologies and products provide favorable support for the development of agriculture, mainly including: biopesticides (microbial insecticides, microorganisms for plant disease control), biological herbicides, biological yield enhancers, edible fungi.

Applications in the light industry

Many types of enzymes are produced by microorganisms that can be used in light industrial processing, the main types are as follows.

Sugar enzymes: alpha-amylase, galactokinase, cellulase type, etc.

Protease: alkaline protease (used in detergent, film silver recovery, beer turbidity removal), acidic protease (used in beverage, food refrigeration, making protein hydrolase), neutral protease.