Microorganism pressure

Microorganisms are ubiquitous, thus microbial contamination is the rule the total absence of microbes, ie, sterility, is the exception. Many microorganisms might be considered mainstream, growing under typical ambient conditions, but there are almost always strains that are capable of surviving and multiplying under the extremes of pH, salinity, pressure, and temperature. 

Salt preserves foods by providing a hostile environment for certain microorganisms. Within foods, salt brine dehydrates bacterial cells, alters osmotic pressure, and inhibits bacterial growth and subsequent spoilage. Dry salt and salt brine are used in several types of curing processes. Pickles are preserved in strong brine before final processing. 

Temperature, pH, and feed rate are often measured and controlled. Dissolved oxygen (DO) can be controlled using aeration, agitation, pressure, and/or feed rate. Oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide formation can be measured in the outgoing air to provide insight into the metaboHc status of the microorganism. No rehable on-line measurement exists for biomass, substrate, or products. Most optimization is based on empirical methods simulation of quantitative models may provide more efficient optimization of fermentation. 

Recovery. The principal purpose of recovery is to remove nonproteinaceous material from the enzyme preparation. Enzyme yields vary, sometimes exceeding 75%. Most industrial enzymes are secreted by a microorganism, and the first recovery step is often the removal of whole cells and other particulate matter (19) by centrifugation (20) or filtration (21). In the case of ceU-bound enzymes, the harvested cells can be used as is or dismpted by physical (eg, bead mills, high pressure homogenizer) and/or chemical (eg, solvent, detergent, lysozyme [9001 -63-2] or other lytic enzyme) techniques (22). Enzymes can be extracted from dismpted microbial cells, and ground animal (trypsin) or plant (papain) material by dilute salt solutions or aqueous two-phase systems (23). 

Preconditioning for Particulates Heavy particulate loading of the inlet gas with dust, grease, oils, or other aerosols can be very dam-aging to the pore structure of the filter bed, resulting in an eventual pressure-drop increase. Oils and heavy metals that are deposited on the filter bed can be poisonous to the microorganisms that live within the biofilm. Particulate APC equipment such as fabric filters and venturi scrubbers are generally adequate for this level of particulate removal. 

The first filtration step should thus be carried out using a filter of at least F7 (EU7) quality, which should be changed after a maximum period of one year s continuous operation. The second filter of at least F7 (EU7) quality is not exposed to high RH, effectively stops microorganisms and particles, and can remain in place for about two years, provided the final pressure loss is not reached within this period. 

Filtered air may be used to purge a complete room, or it m be confined to a specific area and incorporate the principle of laminar flow, which permits operations to be carried out in a gentle current of sterile air. The direction of the airflow may be horizontal or vertical, depending upon the type of equipment being nsed, the type of operation and the material being handled. It is important that there is no obstruction between the air supply and the exposed product, since this may resnlt in the deflection of microorganisms or particulate matter fiom a non-sterile surface and canse contamination. Airflow gauges are essential to monitor that the correct flow rate is obtained in laminar flow units and in complete suites to ensure that a positive pressure fiom clean to less clean areas is always maintained. 

Water produced by reverse osmosis (RO) is forced by an osmohc pressure through a semi-permeable membrane which acts as a molecular filter. The difiusion of solubles dissolved in the water is impeded, and those with a molecular weight in excess of 250 do not difftise at all. The process, which is the reverse of the natural process of osmosis, thus removes microorganisms and their pyrogens. Post-RO contaminahon m occur if the plant after the membrane, the storage vessel or the distribuhon system is not kept Ifee Ifom microorganisms. 

---