Industrial microbiology: Micorbial Sciences - Industrial Products

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Industrial microbiology is a branch of biotechnology that applies microbial sciences to create industrial products in mass quantities, often using microbial cell factories. There are multiple ways to manipulate a microorganism in order to increase maximum product yields. Introduction of mutations into an organism may be accomplished by introducing them to mutagens. Another way to increase production is by gene amplification, this is done by the use of plasmids, and vectors. The plasmids and/or vectors are used to incorporate multiple copies of a specific gene that would allow more enzymes to be produced that eventually cause more product yield.

The manipulation of organisms in order to yield a specific product has many applications to the real world like the production of some antibiotics, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, solvents, alcohol and daily products. Microorganisms play a big role in the industry, with multiple ways to be used. Medicinally, microbes can be used for creating antibiotics in order to treat antibiotics. Microbes can also be used for the food industry as well. Microbes are very useful in creating some of the mass produced products that are consumed by people. The chemical industry also uses microorganisms in order to synthesize amino acids and organic solvents. Microbes can also be used in an agricultural application for use as a biopesticide instead of using dangerous chemicals and or inoculants to help plant proliferation.

Medical Application

The medical application to industrial microbiology is the production of new drugs synthesized in a specific organism for medical purposes. Production of antibiotics is necessary for the treatment of many bacterial infections. Some natural occurring antibiotics and precursors, are produced through a process called fermentation. The microorganisms grow in a liquid media where the population size is controlled in order to yield the greatest amount of product. In this environment nutrient, pH, temperature, and oxygen are controlled also in order to maximize the amount of cells and cause them not to die before the production of the antibiotic of interest. Once the antibiotic is produced it must be extracted in order to yield an income.

Food Industry Application

Fermentation

Fermentation is a reaction where sugar can be converted into a gas, alcohols or acids. Fermentation happens anaerobically, which means microorganisms that go through fermentation can function without the presence of oxygen. Yeasts and bacteria are commonly used to mass produce multiple products. Drinking alcohol is a product that is produced by yeasts and bacteria. Alcohol that can be consumed is also known as ethanol, and ethanol is used to power automobiles as a fuel source. Drinking alcohol is produced from natural sugars like glucose. Carbon dioxide is produced as a side product in this reaction and can be used to make bread, and can also be used to carbonate beverages. Fermentation Wine: Alcoholic beverages like beer and wine are fermented by microorganisms when there is no oxygen present.

The production of yogurt starts from the pasteurization of milk, where undesired microbes are reduced or eliminated. Once the milk is pasteurized the milk is ready to be processed to reduce fat and liquid content, so what remains is mostly solid content. This can be done by drying the milk so that the liquid evaporates or by adding concentrated milk. Increasing the solid content of the milk also increases the nutritional value since the nutrients are more concentrated. After this step is accomplished, the milk is ready for fermentation where the milk gets inoculated with bacteria in hygienic stainless steel containers and then gets carefully monitored for lactic acid production, temperature and pH.

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Regards,
Nicola B
Editorial Team
Journal of  Biochemistry and Biotechnology