MICROBIAL FERMENTATION by Kuniaki Sakato

Chemical engineers are still faced with problems regarding scale-up and microbial contamination in the fermentation by aerobic submerged cultures. Despite many advances in biochemical engineering to address these problems, the problems nevertheless persist. Recently, many advances have been made in the area of recombinant DNA, which themselves have spun off new and lucrative fields in the production of plant and animal pharmaceuticals. A careful study of this technology is therefore necessary, not only for the implementation of efficient fermentation processes, but also for compliance with official regulatory bodies. 

There are several major topics to consider in scaling up laboratory processes to the industrial level. In general, scale-up is accomplished for a discrete system through laboratory and pilot scale operations. The steps involved can be broken down into seven topics that require some elaboration  

Optimization of medium composition and cultural conditions such as pH and temperature 

Oxygen supply required by cells to achieve the proper metabolic activities 

Manufacturing sensors, bioreactors, and other peripheral equipment 

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