Fermentation and Biochemical Engineering: Volume 1

The biochemical engineering approach to fermentation has been significant as the engineers have always been engaged in commercial fermentation operations. Perhaps the easiest way to assess and illustrate the role of biochemical engineering in fermentation technology is to first summarise its contributions in various aspects.

Biochemical engineering contributions to fermentation technology can be looked at in many different ways. We can go through the characteristic fermentation process flowsheet and look at the main stages: (i) medium preparation and sterilisation, (ii) inoculum preparation, (iii) reaction (fermentation), and (iv) pretreatment for recovery. Alternatively we can adopt a unit operations approach and collectively examine all activities which have a common basis, heat sterilisation of media, aseptic transfer of fluids, mass transfer (aeration) and so forth.

This first volume discusses:

- Fermentation feedstocks.
- Microbiological and engineering aspects of solid state fermentation.
- Biological basis of productivity in fermentation.
- Sterilisation techniques in fermentation processes.
- Biosensors and nanobiosensors.
- Recovery and purification of fermentation products. It also include microbial solid state fermentation for future biorefineries.

All topics have been covered in a cogent and lucid style to help the reader grasp the information quickly and easily.

This reference textbook is essential reading for BTech (Environmental Biotechnology/Microbiology/Food Microbiology/Biomedical and Biochemical Engineering) and students pursuing BSc/MSc courses in Biotechnology and Microbiology. Besides students, this book will prove useful to industrialists and consultants in the respective fields.