Description

Industrial microorganisms have contributed enormously to the pharmaceutical, food, beverage, and chemical industries in the past, and are rapidly advancing in the production of renewable energy; they have been central in the development of an ever-expanding field of biotechnology. It is hard to imagine what life would be like without the fruits of industrial microbes. Some aspects of industrial microbiology have not changed much over the years. The production of fine wines has been refined and perfected, and there is probably not much yet to be learned by studying the molecular biology of the specific yeast cultivars. Industrial microbiology encompasses the utilization of fermentation, as well as other biotechnological processes and microbial culture technologies, involving a diverse array of microbes, fungi, and cell-free systems. Through these techniques, the production of valuable organic compounds is achieved, serving as both microbial biomass nutrients and as end-products of microbial metabolism. This book is intended to be an introduction to industrial microbiology. The book has drawn from the experience of teaching industrial microbiology and other aspects of applied microbiology to undergraduates and masters students on a range of applied biology, microbiology, biotechnology, food science and chemical engineering courses. It is assumed that the reader will have an elementary knowledge of microbiology and biochemistry. Nevertheless, even those students with only a basic knowledge of chemistry and cell biology, and those who are not specialist microbiologists, should find the material accessible. Of major economic, environmental and social importance, industrial microbiology involves the utilization of microorganisms in the production of a wide range of products, including enzymes, foods, beverages, chemical feedstocks, fuels and pharmaceuticals, and clean technologies employed for waste treatment and pollution control. Aimed at undergraduates studying the applied aspects of biology, particularly those on biotechnology and microbiology courses and students of food science and biochemical engineering, this text provides a wide-ranging introduction to the field of industrial microbiology. Industrial Microbiology is a groundbreaking book encompassing the entire spectrum of industrial microbiology, filling a significant void in the field. From tracing its historical roots to exploring primary and secondary metabolites, down to downstream processing and product recovery, this book offers a cohesive narrative previously unavailable in a single resource. The meticulously structured chapters discuss the systematic journey of metabolites, covering the screening of microorganisms, preservation techniques, fermentation media, fermenters, and the significance of industrially vital secondary metabolites.