BT – 4203 – FERMENTATION AND BIOPROCESS TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1

Fuad Hasan Fahim

BTGE, IU
Industrial Biotechnology: Industrial biotechnology, also known as white biotechnology, is the
application of biological systems, such as microorganisms and enzymes, to industrial processes for
producing bio-based products, including chemicals, materials, and biofuels.
"Industrial biotechnology is the application of biotechnology for industrial purposes, including the
use of living cells and enzymes to synthesize, break down, or transform materials in a sustainable and
environmentally friendly manner."
It is the exploitation of enzymes, microorganisms, and plants to produce energy, industrial chemicals
and consumer goods.It includes the practice of using cells such as microorganisms, or components of
cells like enzymes, to generate products in sectors that are industrially useful, such as food and feed,
chemicals, detergents, paper and pulp, textiles, biofuels, and biogas also.

Biotechnological processing uses enzymes and microorganisms to produce products that are useful to
a broad range of industrial sectors, including chemical and pharmaceutical, human and animal
nutrition, pulp and paper, textiles, energy, materials and polymers, using renewable raw materials.
Importance of Industrial Biotechnology
Industrial biotechnology is a branch of biotechnology that uses cellular and biomolecular processes
to develop technologies and products that can improve industrial processes.
1. Sustainability: Industrial biotechnology promotes the use of renewable resources and reduces
reliance on fossil fuels. By using biological processes, it can help create sustainable alternatives
to traditional industrial methods.
2. Bioprocessing Efficiency: Biological processes can often be more efficient than chemical
processes for producing a variety of substances, from biofuels to bioplastics, leading to reduced
energy consumption and waste.
3. Waste Reduction: Industrial biotechnology often utilizes waste products from other industries
as feedstock for new processes, thereby helping to reduce waste and lower the overall
environmental footprint.
4. Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Biotechnological processes, such as biofuel production
and carbon capture using microorganisms, help reduce CO₂ and other greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Eco-friendly Manufacturing: It replaces traditional chemical processes with biological
alternatives that generate fewer toxic by-product’s, making industries more environmentally
friendly.
6. Production of Biodegradable Products: Industrial biotechnology enables the creation of
biodegradable plastics, detergents, and packaging materials, reducing plastic pollution and
environmental harm.
7. Enhanced Agricultural Productivity: It contributes to agriculture by producing biofertilizers,
biopesticides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that improve crop yields and
resilience.
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 8. Medical and Pharmaceutical Advancements:
9. Biotechnology is used to develop antibiotics, vaccines, and bioengineered drugs, improving
healthcare and disease treatment.
10. Innovative Product Development: Biotechnology enables the development of novel products,
including biopolymers, biofuels, and biochemicals, that can meet emerging market demands and
consumer preferences for environmentally friendly options.
11. Economic Growth: By creating new industries and job opportunities, industrial biotechnology
can promote economic growth. It often leads to the emergence of startups and the expansion of
existing companies focused on biotechnological innovations.
12. Global Food Security: By improving the efficiency of food production through biotechnological
innovations, such as biofertilizers and pest-resistant crops, industrial biotechnology plays a role
in addressing global food security challenges.
TYPES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
The four main types of biotechnology are -
1. Medical biotechnology (red)
2. Industrial biotechnology (white)
3. Environmental biotechnology (green) and
4. Marine biotechnology (blue).
Medical Biotechnology
Medical biotechnology is a branch of biotechnology that focuses on the development of techniques and
products to improve health and treat diseases. It involves the use of living organisms, cells, and biological
systems to create medical products and therapies. Medical biotechnology is all about human health and
medicine. So, medical biotechnology will involve producing new pharmaceutical drugs, antibodies,
vaccines, and more.
Red biotechnology offers a lot of value to the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession. It helps
to enhance patients' quality of life while also alleviating the experience of pain and suffering. Red
biotechnology makes use of biological materials to find solutions to health-related problems. Often, gene
expression, antibodies, and proteins are researched to find how they can be used to create genetically-
modified cells or organisms to assist in treating various diseases.
Red biotechnology is considered to be an inclusive field of research that uses biological processes,
treatments in conventional forms and advanced forms (such as genetic engineering), and diagnostic
methods to detect disease. This approach has resulted in biotechnologists working on finding cures to
various human diseases, such as AIDS and hepatitis, Corona virus.This field encompasses a variety of
applications, including:
1. Drug Development: The discovery and production of pharmaceuticals, including biologics
such as monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and gene therapies.
2. Diagnostic Tools: The creation of tests and devices that can detect diseases, monitor health
conditions, and provide insights into patient care, such as genetic testing and molecular diagnostics.
3. Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: The development of methods for repairing
or replacing damaged tissues and organs using biomaterials, stem cells, and cellular therapies.
4. Genetic Engineering: Techniques such as CRISPR and recombinant DNA technology that
allow for modifications in the genetic material of organisms, leading to potential therapies for genetic
disorders.
5. Personalized Medicine: Tailoring medical treatments based on an individual’s genetic
makeup and unique characteristics, aiming for more effective and targeted therapies.
Medical biotechnology plays a crucial role in advancing healthcare by providing innovative solutions
for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases.

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 INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY (WHITE)
Industrial biotechnology affects many sectors, such as the textile, food, and energy sectors. It is, in
fact, the largest branch of biotechnology! Its focus is on using technology to create new processes
with the use of fewer natural resources and energy as compared to conventional methods.So,
industrial biotechnology makes use of living cells derived from sources such as plants, bacteria, and
yeast, and creates products that need less resources (such as energy) during their production. They
also produce less waste. There have already been valuable developments made by industrial
biotechnology. An example is how the use of bacterial enzymes have been used to manufacture food
as well as to make washing powder so as to decrease artificial ingredients.
Environmental Biotechnology
Environmental biotechnology is the application of biological processes to protect and restore the quality
of the environment. It involves using microorganisms, plants, or enzymes to prevent pollution, treat waste,
and develop more sustainable processes.As for environmental biotechnology, the main goal is combining
biology with engineering. This can develop various processes to clean contaminated sites. Fungi, bacteria,
and microbes are often used as organic ways of eliminating pollutants in the environment. Some tasks
that environmental biotechnologists will have include the following:
Converting plants into biofuels. Inventing plant-based bioplastics that are kinder to the environment
and can reduce waste.
• Engineering microbes or plants that can process and eliminate toxins and contaminants in the
environment.
• Using geographic information systems to find and map contaminated sites as well as how the
pollutants spread.
• Transforming waste into biogas or other natural sources of energy.
• Finding ways to make industrial processes cleaner, such as by using biological enzymes instead
of chemical substances.
Some importance of Environmental Biotechnology
1. Bioremediation: Using microorganisms to degrade or remove pollutants from contaminated
soil, water, and air. This can be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional
clean-up methods.
2. Wastewater Treatment: Employing biological processes to remove organic matter, nutrients,
and pathogens from wastewater, making it safe for discharge or reuse.
3. Waste Management: Utilizing biological methods like composting and anaerobic digestion
to treat solid waste, reduce landfill volume, and produce valuable products like biogas and fertilizers.
4. Pollution Prevention: Developing cleaner industrial processes and products that minimize
waste generation and pollution at the source. This includes using biocatalysts in manufacturing and
creating biodegradable materials.
5. Biosensors: Creating biological sensors to detect and monitor pollutants in the environment,
providing early warnings of contamination and enabling timely intervention.
MARINE "BLUE" BIOTECHNOLOGY
Blue biotechnology is sometimes regarded as the fourth main type of biotechnology. It refers to the
study of marine organisms with a focus on using these organisms for various human purposes, such
as creating new medicines or food supplements to enhance human health. Blue biotechnology makes
use of a wide variety of marine organisms and resources for various tasks, such as shellfish, algae,
and other substances. For example, the use of ziconotide, a substance derived from the venom of cone
snails, is said to be an effective human painkiller.An exciting idea is using marine biotechnology to
create alternative sources of energy. Biofuel, for example, can be made from microalgae. The benefit
is that algal biomass can be artificially grown without competing with other plants. The industrial
sector benefits greatly from "blue" biotechnology. Various proteins, biopolymers, biomaterials, and
enzymes are produced in large quantities from the marine ecosystem. Examples include
biotechnology products such as green fluorescent protein derived from jellyfish that's used to create
energy due to how it reacts to UV light.
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Importance of Marine Biotechnology
Marine biotechnology harnesses the potential of marine organisms and their biological processes for
various applications. Here are some key areas highlighting its importance:
1. Drug Discovery and Development: Marine organisms are a rich source of novel compounds
with potential pharmaceutical applications, including antibiotics, anticancer agents, anti-
inflammatory drugs, and antivirals.
2. New Enzymes and Biocatalysts: Marine environments harbor unique enzymes with potential
for industrial applications, such as food processing, biofuel production, and bioremediation.
3. Aquaculture Improvement: Biotechnology can enhance aquaculture practices through
disease resistance, improved growth rates, and enhanced nutritional value of farmed seafood.
4. Bioremediation of Marine Pollution: Marine microorganisms can be used to degrade
pollutants, such as oil spills and plastics, in marine environments, helping to restore ecosystem health.
5.Development of Biomaterials: Marine organisms can be used to produce biomaterials for various
applications, including medical implants, cosmetics, and packaging.

The Other Biotechnology Colors

While we might concentrate on the above four types of biotechnology, new fields of research have
been established and they have their own colors.
5. Yellow Biotechnology 6. Grey Biotechnology 7. Brown Biotechnology 8. Gold
Biotechnology 9. Violet Biotechnology 10. Dark Biotechnology
Color Biotechnology Field Focus Area / Application
5. Yellow Food Biotechnology Use of biotech in food production, fermentation, and
nutrition (e.g., cheese, beer, vitamins).
6. Grey Environmental Biotechnology Bioremediation, waste management, and ecosystem
restoration.
7. Brown Desert/Agricultural Biotechnology for arid lands—drought-resistant crops,
Biotechnology soil management.
8. Gold Bioinformatics & Use of data analysis, AI, and computational tools in
Computational Biology biotech.
9. Violet Law, Ethics & Philosophy in Addresses ethical, legal, and philosophical issues (e.g.,
Biotechnology GMOs, cloning).
10. Dark Bioterrorism & Biowarfare Use (or misuse) of biotech in harmful or illegal ways—
bioweapons, biosecurity threats.

5. YELLOW BIOTECHNOLOGY: This one is very similar to green biotechnology that we

talked about earlier, but it refers to biotechnology that makes use of insects. It uses active genes or
traits in insects for research or other medical or agricultural processes. Insects' gene functions are
studied and then if they're considered useful they can help to make various processes better and more
sustainable. Insects have much molecular diversity so they are valuable when it comes for use in
biological processes. That said, some insects are also pests that can compete with us for human food,
such as by damaging our crops. Therefore, yellow biotechnology also involves the use of technology
to control pests in a more sustainable and natural way.
6. GREY BIOTECHNOLOGY: This is quite similar to green biotechnology. It focuses on the
use of living organisms to improve our environment. So, it can include removing pollutants from the
environment with the use of microorganisms. Other tasks and processes that can fall under grey
biotechnology include the following:
• Protecting the flora and fauna from pollution.
• Human waste disposal and management with the use of microorganisms.
• Controlling pollution with the use of microorganisms.
• An exciting example of grey biotechnology involves finding ways to reduce and eliminate our
use of plastic.
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7. BROWN BIOTECHNOLOGY: Brown biotechnology is similar to grey biotechnology.
Sometimes it's referred to as "Desert biotechnology." Its main focus is on treating desert-like soils to
make them more productive. To achieve this, it draws from species that are resistant to these dry soils
and uses them in positive ways. It involves GM technology to create better-quality seeds that can
grow crops in arid areas where there are low amounts of rainfall.
8. GOLD BIOTECHNOLOGY: Gold biotechnology is quite different from other types of
biotechnology we've already explored because it's sort of the type of biotech that occurs behind the
scenes. Gold biotechnology concentrates on informatics, such as hardware and software, that's used
in the data analysis of biological processes. It's sometimes referred to as "bioinformatics." It makes
use of computational techniques to allow for quick organization and analysis of biological data. But,
it also can search for changes in DNA and primers.
9. VIOLET BIOTECHNOLOGY: Violet biotechnology is quite unique in that it concentrates
on the study of legal aspects that affect biotechnology. It also deals with ethical and philosophical
issues. Violet biotechnology will study the moral impact of some technologies, such as gene therapy,
and biosecurity. An example is the use of GMOs and gene therapy, which raise many ethical issues
and concerns.
10. DARK BIOTECHNOLOGY: This is known as the black sheep of the biotechnology family.
Every scientific tool has a dark side, in which it can be used by people for malicious purposes. Dark
biotechnology is an example of this. It refers to crimes such as bioterrorism and bio-warfare. It focuses
on investigating pathogenic and resistant microorganisms so that they can be transformed into
biological weapons.

❖ Who created the biotechnology colors ?

Polish chemist Pawel Kafarski is renowned as the person who developed a color code to differentiate
the main areas of biotechnology.
1. Properties of microorganisms suitable for industrial purpose
The industrial microorganism must produce the substance of interest. The microorganism of interest
must be obtained in pure culture. Must be genetically stable and, also, amenable to genetic
manipulation. Must grow in large-scale cultures.
2. Desirable properties: Ability to grow in culture. Genetic stability. Ability to efficiently produce
a target product in a short time period. Limited need for additional growth factors.
3. Ideal Industrial Microorganism
An ideal industrial microorganism is a microbial strain that possesses characteristics making it highly
suitable for industrial applications. These microorganisms are used in biotechnology,
pharmaceuticals, food production, and biofuel industries to manufacture valuable products efficiently
and cost-effectively. An ideal industrial microorganism is a genetically stable, fast-growing, non-
pathogenic microorganism capable of efficiently producing desired products in large quantities using
inexpensive substrates under controlled conditions.

An ideal industrial microorganism should possess several key features to ensure efficiency, cost-
effectiveness, and sustainability in industrial processes. These features include:

❖ Salient Features of an Ideal Industrial Microorganism:

1. High Productivity: Capable of producing large quantities of the desired product in a short
time.
2. Rapid Growth and High Yield: Should grow quickly and produce high concentrations of
the target compound.
3. Genetic Stability: Should not undergo frequent mutations that could alter its productivity.
4. Easy Cultivation: Should thrive in simple, inexpensive media under controlled conditions.

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 5. Non-pathogenic and Safe: Should not pose health risks to humans, animals, or the
environment.
6. Tolerance to Stress Conditions: Should withstand variations in temperature, pH, and
substrate concentration.
7. Amenable to Genetic Manipulation: Should allow modifications to enhance productivity or
introduce new functionalities.
8. Efficient Substrate Utilization: Should utilize cheap and renewable raw materials for cost-
effective production.
9. Low Production of Unwanted By-products: Should minimize impurities that complicate
downstream processing.
10. Ease of Harvesting and Product Recovery: The microorganism or its products should be
easily separated from the culture.

Examples of Industrial Microorganisms:

• Bacteria:
o Escherichia coli – Recombinant protein and enzyme production
o Bacillus subtilis – Enzyme production (e.g., amylase, protease)
o Lactobacillus spp. – Dairy fermentation (e.g., yogurt, cheese)
• Fungi:
o Aspergillus niger – Citric acid and enzyme production
o Penicillium chrysogenum – Penicillin production
o Saccharomyces cerevisiae – Alcohol and bread fermentation
• Actinomycetes:
o Streptomyces spp. – Antibiotic production (e.g., streptomycin, tetracycline)
These microorganisms play a crucial role in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverages,
biofuels, and biotechnology.

❖ What are the industrially important microorganisms: Aspergillus Niger, Acetobacter acute
and Lactobacillus are few examples of microbes used for the industrial production of organic
acids. The microorganisms of industrial importance are, generally, bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi
and algae. These organisms occur virtually everywhere, e.g., in air, water, soil, surfaces of plants
and animals, and plant and animals tissues.

❖ Which microorganism is most widely used in industries: The Bacteria, microalgae and fungi
is most widely used in industries. Bacteria like Lactobacillus sp. is used in manufacturing of
vinegar and alcohol by fermentation process. Most of algae are used as single cell protein i.e.
Spirulina. Different drugs like penicillin is manufactured from fungi Penicillium notatum.

❖ Which bacteria is used in industries?

Bacteria in industry
Product Bacterium
Glucose isomerase Bacillus coagulans
ẞ-galactosidase Thermus aquaticus
cobalamin (cyanocobalamin) Pseudomonas stutzeri
vinegar Acetobacter species

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 ❖ Compare and contrast among white, green, red and blue biotechnology.
Comparison (similarities)among white,green,red and blue biotechnology
Aspects White Green Red Blue
Biotechnology Biotechnology Biotechnology Biotechnology
Use of Uses biological Uses biological Uses biological Uses biological
biotechnology systems systems systems systems
Goals Sustainable Sustainable Better healthcare Sustainable
solutions agriculture marine resources
Role of Uses microbes Uses microbes Uses microbes Uses marine
microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, (e.g.,biofertilizers) (e.g.,in vaccines ) microbes (e.g.,
fungi ) algae)
Genetic Used to enhance Used for GM crops Used for gene Used for marine
Engineering processes therapy genetic studies
Economic impacts Supports Supports agriculture Support Supports fisheries
industrial sectors healthcare and marine
industries
Environmental Reduces Reduces need for Develops Protects marine
benefits industrial pesticides ecofriendly drugs ecosystems
pollution
Innovation and Continues Continues scientific Continues Continues
Research scientific investments scientific scientific
investments investments investments

Contrasts(differences)among white,green,red and blue biotechnology

Aspects White Green Red Blue biotechnology
biotechnolog biotechnolog biotechnolog
y y y
Main focus Industrial Agricultural Human Marine resources
processes improvement healthcare
s
Examples Biofuels, GM crops, Vaccines, gene Algae-based biofuels,
degradable biofertilizers therapy marine drugs
plastics
Organisms Bacteria, fungi Plants, bacteria, Human cells, Marine
used fungi bacteria, viruses organisms(algae,fis h)

Ethical Minimal GMOs and Stem cell rese Marine bioprospecting

concerns concerns biodiversity arch, gene editing issues.
impacts concerns

Impact on Improves Enhances Develops Supports mari ne

society industrial food security lifesaving economy &
sustainability medicines conservation
Key Enzyme Genetic Genetic Marine biotechnology,
technologie production, modification, engineering, cell bioprospecting
s fermentation biofertilizers therapy
Challenges High production Public resistance Ethical and Marine ecosystem
costs to regulatory issues disturbances
GMOs
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 ❖ Industrial Microorganism
Industrial microorganism is the branch of biotechnology that applies in industry for producing
industrial products in mass quantities. Industrial biotechnology or white biotechnology use enzymes
or microorganism to make biobased product such as chemicals, food, detergent, paper, textile and
bioenergy with less waste generation and reduce energy consumption.
Key Industrial Microbe Species
1. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast for brewing and bread-making)
2. Escherichia coli (bacteria for recombinant proteins and others)
3. Aspergillus niger (fungus for manufacturing citric acid and enzymes)
4. Clostridium butyclicum (bacteria used in soured milk and cheeses)
5. Xanthomonas campestri (bacteria that produces xanthan gum)
6. Deinococcus radiorans (bacteria for soil and water remediation)

Characteristics of Ideal Industrial Microorganism

Desirable qualities for effective microorganisms in industrial use include the following:
• Ability to grow in culture
• Genetic stability
• Ability to efficiently produce a target product in a short time period
• Limited need for additional growth factors
• Utilization of a wide range of low-cost and readily available carbon sources.

Importance of Industrial Biotechnology

Industrial Biotechnology applies the techniques of modern molecular biology to improve the
efficiency and reduce the environmental Impacts of industrial processes like textile, paper and pulp,
and chemical manufacturing. For Example
• Industrial biotechnology companies
develop biocatalysts’ such as enzymes to
synthesize chemicals,
• Enzymes are proteins produced by all
organisms. Using biotechnology, desired
enzyme can be manufactured in
commercial quantities.
• Commodity chemicals (e.g., polymer
grade acrylamide) and specialty chemicals
can be produced using biotech
applications. Using biocatalyst, the
chemicals can be produced more
economically and more environment
friendly way compared to tradition
synthesis. Such as protease in detergent.
• Industrial Biotechnology is also important
in the textile industry for finishing of
fabrics and garments. It produces biotech derived cotton that is warmer, stronger, has improved
dye uptake and retention, enhanced absorbency, and wrinkle and shrink resistance.
• Some agricultural crops, such as corn, can be used in place petroleum to produce chemicals. The
crop's sugar can be fermented to acid, which can be then used as an intermediate to produce other
chemical feedstock for various products.
• It has been projected that 30% of the world's chemical and fuel needs could be supplied by such
renewable resources in the first half of the next century. It is demonstrated, at test scale, that bio
pulping reduces the electrical energy required for wood pulping process by 30%.
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 ❖ Screening? Mentioning its importance
Screening: The procedure of isolation, detection, and separation of microorganisms of our interest
from a mixed population or a natural environment like soil containing a large number of microbial
populations by using highly selective procedures is called screening. It is a very time consuming and
expensive process.
For example, Eli Lilly & Co. Ltd discovered three species of antibiotic producing organisms in a span
of 10 years and after screening 400,000 organisms are found.

Types of microbial screening:

Although there are many screening
techniques, all of them are generally
grouped into two broad categories.
1. Primary screening:
Detection and isolation of
industrially important
microorganism from mixed
population using simple techniques
is called primary screening.
2. Secondary screening: It’s a
systematic screening programme
intended to isolate industrially
important or useful microorganisms.
It can be used to determine
qualitative as well as quantitative
information about microbial strains.
Importance of microbial screening
Safety and sanitation is a key components to just about everything in the modern-day world. That's
why microbial screening is so crucial across the vast majority of industries, including health care,
food production, transportation, and construction.
✓ It's a process for the detection and isolation of microorganisms of our interest.
✓ To determines which microorganisms are able to produce compounds like -
• Antibiotic producing microorganisms.
• Organic acid or amine producing microorganisms.
• Vitamin, amino acids, and other growth factors producing microbes.
✓ To determine qualitative as well as quantitative information about microbial strains.
✓ To determine of inhibitory spectrum in the case of antibiotics and the yield potential of the
product.
1.Industry:Industrial water testing can save lives and keep businesses on the path to success. That’s
because human health can be at extreme risk when biological pathogens and other toxins are present
in particular industries. Disease-causing bacteria is nothing to play around with, and it's critical that
industrial water testing takes place to protect the lives of the people who work and use these industries.
2. Food Safety: With microbiological Screening, the contaminants are quickly identified and treated
before they can cause irreversible damage and devastation. Industrial water testing methods should
be used by food production and food handling companies to keep everyone safe from foodborne
illnesses caused by food and beverages tainted with harmful bacteria like E. coli, listeria, and
salmonella, etc.
3.Health Care and Pharmaceuticals: The healthcare industry used routine microbiological testing
of surfaces and equipment for harmful germs can prevent the spread of serious infection, saving
countless lives in the process.Pharmaceutical testing goes through extremely thorough and rigorous
testing, and the quality standards set for medication are maintained. These pharmaceutical testing labs

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must be free of germs to keep medication sterile and safe for use. Every patient should be at ease
when they're taking their medication because it's been tested. Employers , employees, and consumers
can all benefit from microbial testing.
4. Textiles: Textiles are a top testing industry to keep these products safe and healthy for a multitude
of uses. Textiles are used for clothes and fabrics throughout households, offices, and much more, and
these products shouldn't contain banned chemicals or residues. The production of textiles is heavily
regulated and tested to ensure all textiles are safe for consumer use. Microbial testing is a trusted
resource and routine for those in the textile industry.

❖ Isolation and screening of industrially useful microorganisms

Isolation of industrially useful microorganisms: Isolation refers to the separation of a strain from
a natural, mixed population of living microbes, as present in the environment, for example in water
or soil, or from living beings with skin flora, oral flora or gut flora, in order to identify the
microbe(s) of interest.
Before the isolation of industrially useful microorganisms some important characteristics
should be considered;
• Limited by-products in fermentation medium pigments, toxins, other proteins.
• Genetic stability.
• Efficient production of products.
• Limited byproducts in fermentation medium pigments, toxins, and other proteins.
• Genetic stability.
• Efficient production of products.
• Simple nutritional needs-vitamins and other growth factors are expensive.
• Genetically manipulate, Readily harvested from the medium, High growth rate low cost.

There are many techniques that are used for the isolation of microorganisms.
Some common techniques employed for the isolation of microorganisms are given below:
1. Pure culture
2. Spread plate culture technique
3. Pour-plate method
4. Streak plate method
1. Pure culture: A pure culture of an organism is a culture that is
obtained from a single strain having no contamination of other strains of
organisms.Pure cultures contain only one type of microorganism and are
ideal for studying their biochemical, morphological, and cultural
characteristics.

2. Spread plate culture technique: The spread plate method is a microbiological laboratory
technique for isolating and counting the viable microorganisms present in a liquid sample by
spreading a certain volume of the sample over an appropriate solidified culture media.

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3.Pour plate method : The pour plate method
is a plating technique that is commonly used
for obligate and anaerobic bacteria. This
technique is used to isolate microbial colonies
by serial dilution and then counting the
colony forming units (CFUs). In this method,
the liquid sample is poured into the petri dish
before the solidification of the agar medium.
After solidification, colonies grow both inside
and on the surface of the medium. However,
the colonies growing inside the medium are
confluent; those on the surface are used for
viable counting.

4. Streak plate method: The streak plate

method is the most common approach to
obtain isolated colonies from microbial
culture. The method works by diluting the
number of microorganisms and lowering
their concentration. As a result, single
colonies are known as "pure" colonies.
The separated pure culture of one species
of bacterium is moved to another plate for
better isolation.

➢ Screening of industrial microorganisms

Generally, six steps are involved in the screening of industrial microorganisms. Here one by one we
will go through steps that are important and carried out during the screening.
1. Suitable source: The samples that are used for is the isolation of micro-organisms should be
collected from a suitable source. The samples collected from a particular source should be diluted.
2. Serial Dilution technique.The serial dilution technique is used to dilute collected samples.
Reduction in the number of micro-organisms from
the original sample is called dilution. If the
collected sample is solid for example soil then 1
gm of soil is diluted in 10 ml of sterile Distilled
water.
As the sample is solid 10 ml of water is used as the
volume should remain the same.
3. Incubation: Incubation of isolation plates at a suitable temperature for a suitable period of
time is very important for getting well-Isolated colonies.
4. Detection system: One of the best indicator and detection systems used is the pH detection
system. A suitable agar media with a pH indicator system is used for the detection of acid or
alkaline-producing micro-organisms.
5. Purification: Purification of well-isolated colonies is done by re-streaking of the isolated
colonies on suitable agar media. The dilution gives 25 to 200 colonies on a plate that dilution is
used for getting well-isolated colonies.The efficiency of the medium can be increased by poorly
buffering the media. Here in screening, we are detecting the acid or alkaline-producing micro-
organism and not the amount of acid or alkali produce so we can use the media that is poorly

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buffered. In case we want high organic acidproducing organisms then the media should be strongly
buffered.
6. Detection system: In the primary detection system, we can only detect whether acid or
alkaline is produced and if acid is produced it may be organic or inorganic acid. Detection of Acid
is easy but determining the name of the acid requires a secondary detection system that is the
samples are further screened by isolating the samples in liquid media and after incubation, the
samples are filtered and thin-layer chromatography is carried out to determine the specific acid.

❖ How microorganisms are used in industry?

Industrial microbiology is a branch of biotechnology and microbiology, which mainly deals with the
study of various microorganisms and its applications in industrial processes. Industrial microbiology
includes the use of microorganisms to manufacture food or industrial products in large quantities.
Numerous microorganisms are used within industrial microbiology; these include -
1.naturally occurring organisms: These are organisms that exist in nature without human
intervention. They evolve through natural selection and environmental adaptation.
2.laboratory selected mutants, or even: These are organisms with mutations developed or selected
under controlled lab conditions. Scientists use them to study specific traits or improve certain
functions.
3.Genetically modified organisms (GMOs): GMOs are organisms whose DNA has been altered
using genetic engineering. This modification gives them desired traits like disease resistance or
faster growth.

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