Fermentation

Microorganisms, use an food source to obtain energy, just like animals. They do this by changing substances around them as 'programmed into' their DNA. This process is known as .

can be done on an industrial scale to produce useful products such as producing Insulin, or for food like Quorn.

The advantages of using microorganisms for food production are:

• Rapid population growth; ease of manipulation
• production independent of climate
• use of waste products from other industrial processes

To do this the microorganisms and raw materials are placed into vessel known as a and allowed to do what comes naturally. In the the microorganisms are - given the best conditions to reproduce and process the raw materials.

The following conditions are closely controlled:

• supply - The raw materials
  
  
• - The amount of oxygen present
  
  
• - The correct level of acidicy
  
  
• Temperature - optimum for growth normally between 20°C and 40°C
  • If the temperature is too high, growth rate, reactions and fermentation slows as enzymes start to denature.
  • If the temperature is too low growth rate, reactions, fermentation slows as there isn't enough energy for reactions to take place as fast.
  • In both cases the yield of insulin will decrease.
• - The amount of stirring
  
  
• - only the desired organism is in the fementer.
  • Others microorganisms could:
    • use up nutrients
    • produce toxins that limited production