Biotechnological Applications in Food Industry

Biotechnological Applications in Food Industry

• Dr. Eman Owis, a lecturer in microbial biotechnology from Mansoura University, Germany, presented the topic.
• The presentation covered various aspects of food biotechnology, including fermentation, genetically modified foods, enzymes in the food industry, nanotechnology in food, and ethical concerns.
• Fermentation is a process that involves the use of microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, molds) to chemically convert organic substances into simpler compounds, often used to preserve and enhance food.

Food Biotechnology Overview

• The presentation covered the introduction to microorganisms associated with food, bacteria, yeasts and molds.
• It also discussed different branches of biotechnology, factors influencing microbial activity, benefits of biotechnology for the food industry, food biotechnology safety and regulations, and different techniques in food biotechnology.
• The importance of bacteria, yeasts, and molds in the food industry were also emphasized.

Fermentation Process

• The process of fermentation includes a variety of methods, including principles and bases involved in fermentations.
• The presentation also discussed the principles of fermenters / bioreactors and downstream processing.
• Different types of fermentation processes like alcoholic, lactic acid, acetic acid fermentation, and alkaline fermentation were discussed.
• The role of fermenters and bioreactors in the process were covered.

Historical Development

• Archaeological evidence indicates that human use of fermentation dates back 13,000 years—ancient beer residues near Haifa, Israel.
• Early alcohol production using rice, fruit, and honey is from 7000-6600 BC (Neolithic Chinese village of Jiahu) and wine making from 6000 BC (Georgia).
• Fermented products (wine) have been found in 7000-year-old jars in Iran's Zagros Mountains.
• Fermentations of alcoholic beverages have existed in ancient civilizations like ancient Egypt (3150 BC), Babylon (3000 BC), pre-Hispanic Mexico (2000 BC), and Sudan (1500 BC).

Fermentation Definitions

• Fermentation is derived from the Latin word "fermentum" which means "boiling."
• Fermentation is defined as the process of digesting certain substances to produce chemical conversions of organic substances into simpler compounds.
• Fermentation is also defined as a process in which microorganisms bring about desirable changes in a foodstuff or beverage.
• Different definitions for fermentation range from simple observations to more scientifically complex explanations.

Types of Fermentation

• Batch culture: A closed system where the fermentation media is inoculated with microorganisms and allowed to incubate under optimum conditions.
• Fed-batch culture: A method that enhances batch fermentation by continuously adding nutrients in small doses during the process. This helps to eliminate the problem of catabolite repression.
• Continuous culture: A continuous process where nutrients are continuously added at a fixed rate, keeping the microorganisms in the logarithmic growth stage. This system potentially offers greater production but has drawbacks related to organism competition.

Fermentation Process: Stages

• The presentation detailed the stages of industrial fermentation: upstream processing and downstream processing.
• Upstream processing involves inoculum preparation, media development and optimization of growth parameters, and scale-up of the entire process.
• Downstream processing focuses on the recovery of the produced substances from the fermentation media.

Products of Fermentation

• Primary products relate to large amounts of substance used to construct the organism, like sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids.
• Secondary products, such as antibiotics, hormones, and vitamins, affect the rate of growth and are produced in lesser quantities.
• Enzymes are useful bio-stimulating substances. These often take part in vital cell reactions associated with their function, construction, and destruction.

Applications of Fermentation

• Products of fermentation are used in medicine (proteins, antibiotics, vitamins, and organic acids), chemicals, agriculture (green manure, alternate fodder), fuel (biofuels), food (dairy products, beverages), and environment (solid waste recycling, sewage treatment).

Defects of Fermentation-Based Industries

• Production of a low volume of product, the need for maintenance of suitable microbial strains, issues with purifying the product from the fermentation media, and the effects of mutations were explained as drawbacks.

Conditions for Successful Fermentation

• Having materials readily available and affordable, easily managed bioreactors or fermenters, reliable and stable microorganisms, a clear purification method, and proper storage techniques are all requirements for successful fermentation.

Overview of Industrial Fermentation Process

• The process of industrial fermentation is explained as comprising separate steps of in-bound logistics (bringing in raw materials), upstream processing (preparing the environment and microorganisms), fermentation (the process itself), downstream processing (purification of the products), and finally out-bound logistics (distribution, delivery).

Explore the intersection of biotechnology and food through this informative quiz. It covers key topics such as fermentation, genetically modified foods, and the role of microorganisms. Understand the techniques, safety regulations, and ethical concerns in food biotechnology.