A Justification for Continuous Sterilization

Fermentation Time (hr) Percent increased annual harvest volume 

More Effective Sterilization. The internal parts of a fermenter are sterilized easier with no liquid inside. A lower percentage of media contamination can be achieved with a continuous sterilizer than by batch sterilization. 

Higher Fermentation Yields. With a continuous sterilizer, proteins can be sterilized separately from carbohydrates and salts. The residence time at high temperature is short. There is less interaction and degradation of raw materials, resulting in higher fermentation yields. 

Reduced Agitator Cost. It is not necessary to buy a two-speed motor where the slow speed (low horsepower) is used for mixing during batch sterilization and high speed only during aeration. 

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