Components of fermentation media

For a good output of product during a fermentation process, the selection of the optimal
microorganisms and fermentation media is crucial. As it provides nutrients and energy for the growth
of microorganisms, the quality of fermentation media is vital. This medium serves as a substrate for
the production of a product in a fermentor.

 The components of fermentation media comprise of major and minor components.

 Sources of Carbon and Nitrogen are among the primary components.
 Inorganic salts, vitamins, growth stimulants, anti-foaming chemicals, buffers, dissolved
oxygen, other dissolved gases, growth inhibitors, and enzymes are minor components.

The nutrients required for fermentation media also depend on the type of organisms to be
fermented and the intended fermentation procedure. A poor selection of fermenting media may
result in a low output yield. Product yield is always determined by the nutritional composition of the
fermentation medium.

Types of Fermentation media

There are two types of industrial fermentation media.

 Synthetic media
 Crude media

Synthetic media

Because each and every component is chemically known and the exact composition of nutrients is
predetermined, synthetic media is useful in the field of study.

 Therefore, fluctuation in nutrient amounts and concentration can be managed in synthetic

medium. Here, by experimentation with synthetic medium, it is possible to examine the
impact of nutrients on plant development and yield.
 We can modify synthetic media to suit our demands. It is highly beneficial for managing the
growth and yield of lab-grown products. We can also use it to determine the metabolic
pathway utilised during product synthesis.
 With the aid of radio-isotope tagging, we are able to determine the primary materials
needed to generate the finished product. This enables us to determine the precise quantities
of elements required for our method.
 We can optimise this process by utilising other sources of carbon or nitrogen and by
developing an optimal fermentation medium.
 As the results are accurately reproducible for a given composition, the use of synthetic media
permits us to experiment in the lab with various sources of fermentation medium.
 A well-designed synthetic medium has the advantage of lacking protein and peptide sources.
 Therefore, there is no foam development, and the likelihood of contamination is minimal.
Pure components present in synthetic media facilitate product recovery.
 Although there is a lengthy list of synthetic media’s benefits, there are also some downsides.
A significant drawback is the price of media.
 The most critical aspect of fermentation is that it be lucrative and cost-effective. Synthetic
media are seldom employed on an industrial basis due to their high cost.
 Crude Media

 Fermentation on an industrial scale typically utilises crude medium. Crude media contain
a preliminary composition of fermentation-required media. It produces a high yield of
product and contains unidentified ingredient sources.
 High levels of minerals, vitamins, proteins, growth factors, anti-foaming agents, and
precursors are present in crude media.

Ingredients of Crude Media

In the fermentation industry, carbohydrates represent the primary source of energy. For economic
reasons, refined and pure carbohydrates such as glucose and sucrose are rarely used.

A. Substrates Used As Carbon Sources

 In the fermentation business, carbohydrates represent the primary source of energy.

 For economic reasons, refined and pure carbohydrates such as glucose and sucrose are rarely
used.
1. Molasses

Molasses is a byproduct of the production of cane and beet sugar. It is recovered at any of the
numerous phases of sugar refining. Variable chemical composition characterises sugar cane
blackstrap molasses.

It depends not only on the quality and diversity of the cane, but also, and to a far greater extent,
on the manufacturing method. The organic nitrogen level is lower than that of beet molasses
due to the absence of betaine. However, yeasts cannot digest this chemical. Molasses from beets
is manufactured using the same methods as molasses from sugarcane.Also found are vitamins
such as biotin, pyridoxine, thiamine, pantothenic acid, and inositol. However, beet molasses may
contain low levels of biotin.In yeast-based fermentations, a tiny amount of cane blackstrap
molasses or another biotin-containing substance should be added to the production medium.

i. Molasses is a sugar industry waste and one of the cheapest sources of carbohydrates.
ii. Sugar cane molasses (about 48% sucrose) and sugar beet molasses (approximately 33%
sucrose) are often utilised.
iii. In addition to being rich in sugar, molasses contains nitrogenous compounds, vitamins, and
trace minerals.
iv. There is heterogeneity in the composition of molasses, which is largely dependent on climate
and production method.
v. Hydrol molasses, a byproduct of glucose synthesis from corn, is also utilised as a substrate
for fermentation.

2. Malt extract

i. Approximately 80% of malt extract, an aqueous extract of malted barley, consists of carbs
(glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose).
ii. Nitrogen compounds represent roughly 4.5% (proteins, peptides, amino acids, purines,
pyrimidine’s).

3. Starch, dextrin and cellulose

i. Microorganisms may metabolise polysaccharides, including starch, dextrin, and cellulose.

 ii. They are commonly employed for industrial alcohol production. The use of cellulose in
alcohol production is intensively explored due to its vast availability and low cost.

4. Whey

i. Whey is a dairy industry waste that is generated globally. The majority is ingested by humans
and other animals.
ii. For the formation of alcohol, single-cell protein, vitamin B12, lactic acid, and gibberellic acid,
whey is a reasonably good supply of carbon.
iii. The storage of whey is a barrier to its extensive application in the fermentation sector.

5. Methanol and ethanol

i. Some microbes can use methanol and/or ethanol as a carbon source.

ii. The cheapest substrate for fermentation is methanol. However, only a few bacteria and
yeasts can utilise it.
iii. Methanol is frequently used to produce single-cell proteins. Ethanol is quite costly.
iv. Nonetheless, it is being employed in the manufacturing of acetic acid.

6.Sulphite waste liquor

i. In the production of paper-pulp, wood is treated to hydrolysis with the aid of calcium
bisulfite under high heat and pressure.
ii. The term for this operation is digestive process. At the conclusion of this procedure, the
remaining liquid is referred to as sulphite waste liquor.
iii. It is inappropriate to discard this liquid without treatment. In terms of its chemical
composition, sulphite waste liquor contains 10 to 12 percent solids, of which approximately
20 percent are sugars.
iv. Based on the chemical composition of the liquor, it appears that it could be utilised as a
diluted fermentation medium in some fermentation businesses.
v. It is utilised, for example, in the industrial manufacture of ethyl alcohol (using Saccharomyces
cerevisiae) and in the growth of Torula utilis cells for animal feed. Torula utilis utilises both
hexoses and pentoses, whereas S. cerevisiae requires solely hexoses.
vi. This information is necessary when utilising sulfite waste liquor, the composition of which
changes depending on the type of wood used in the production of paper-pulp.
vii. The paper-pulp industry’s sulphite waste liquor cannot be used directly in the fermentation
sector.
viii. Since these substances are hazardous to microorganisms, it is vital to eliminate any free
sulphur dioxide or sulphurous acid from the waste liquor. They can be eliminated using
steam stripping or lime precipitation.

B. Substrates Used As Nitrogen Sources

The fermentation bacteria may receive nitrogen from inorganic or organic sources.

1. Inorganic nitrogen sources

i. Ammonium salts and free ammonia are inexpensive sources of inorganic nitrogen,
particularly in industrialised nations.
ii. However, not all microbes can utilise them, therefore their application is limited.
2. Organic nitrogen sources

i. Urea is an acceptable source of nitrogen. However, other more cost-effective organic

nitrogen sources are preferred.

3. Corn steep liquor

During the production of starch, gluten, and other maize-based products, corn is steeped in used
steep water.

This byproduct is concentrated to around 50 percent solids, and the resulting liquid is known as corn-
steep liquor.

ii. This is produced during the manufacturing of starch from corn.

iii. Microorganisms exploit the nitrogen-rich (about 4%) corn steep liquor with great efficiency.
iv. It contains many amino acids (alanine, valine, methionine, arginine, threonine, glutamate).

4. Yeast extracts

i. They contain approximately 8 percent nitrogen and are abundant in amino acids, peptides,
and vitamins. During yeast extraction, glycogen and trehalose combine to form glucose,
which is a valuable carbon source.
ii. Through autolysis (at 50-55°C) or plasmolysis, yeast extracts are derived from baker’s yeast.
iii. Yeast extracts are an excellent source of numerous industrially significant microorganisms.

5. Soy meal

Soybean meal is the remaining residue after deoiling the soya bean seeds. Soybean meal contains
roughly 8% nitrogen by weight.This is in contrast to corn-steep liquor, as soya bean meal is a much
more complex nitrogenous source than corn-steep liquor and is therefore not readily accessible to
microorganisms.This is a component used in fermentation media (e.g. in the production medium for
streptomycin).

i. Following the extraction of soy bean oil from soy bean seeds, the remaining residue is soy
meal.
ii. It is high in protein (about 50%) and carbs (around 30%). Soy meal is commonly used in the
manufacture of antibiotics.

6. Peptones

i. Peptones are the collective term for protein hydrolysates, and they are excellent food
sources for numerous bacteria.
ii. Meat, soy meal, peanut seeds, cotton seeds, and sunflower seeds are sources of peptones.
iii. Additionally, casein, gelatin, and keratin can be hydrolyzed to produce peptones.
iv. In general, peptones obtained from animal sources include more nitrogen, whereas plant-
derived peptones contain more carbohydrates.
v. Peptones are significantly more expensive; hence, their industrial application is limited.

C. Sources of Growth Factors

i. Some microbes lack the ability to synthesise one or more growth agents, such as vitamins.
ii. Pure forms of these growth hormones are quite costly, hence crude sources are preferable.
iii. Yeast extract is an abundant source of virtually all growth factors. In general, the mineral
concentration of crude substrates obtained from plant or animal sources is relatively high.
 iv. Mineral (phosphate, sulphate) supplementation may be necessary on occasion.

D. Buffers

i. Buffers are used to prevent pH from fluctuating drastically. Occasionally, media components
may serve as buffers. At neutral pH, protein, peptides, and amino acids serve as effective
buffers.
ii. As needed, inorganic buffers such as K2HPO4, KH2PO4, and CaCO3 can sometimes be added.
iii. During the fermentation process, pH typically shifts to an acidic or alkaline state. CaCO3 is
the cheapest and most readily accessible buffer.

E.Precursors

In particular fermentations (e.g., the fermentation of penicillin), the medium should provide the
necessary precursor for improved yields of a desired product.

Precursors are substances added prior to or simultaneously with the fermentation and are
incorporated without any major changes in the fermentation product. Specific examples for the use
of precursors are addition to the medium of phenyl acetic acid as a precursor for penicillin G and
inorganic cobalt for the production of vitamin B12.

F. Anti foaming agents

The main purpose of an antifoaming agent is to prevent the formation of foam during the
fermentation process. Without a good antifoaming agent, your product could be ruined by excessive
foam production. The main purpose of an antifoaming agent is to prevent the formation of foam
during the fermentation process. This is important because excessive foam can cause your product to
be ruined. In order to find the best anti foaming agent for your needs, it is important to understand
what each one does.

In fermentation also, there are different types of antifoaming agents.

There are of two types

 Inert antifoam agents

 Antifoam agents made from crude organic materials.

The antifoam agents of crude organic materials include animal and vegetable oils such as corn oil and
soybean oil. The inert antifoam agent includes various silicone components.