History of Continuous Fermentation

Many systems in nature have input and output flows and operate over long time periods; in this sense they are continuous bioprocesses if active microorganisms are present. Man made bioprocesses for useful products probably were very rarely continuous because contamination is likely when there are no precautions against entry of foreign organisms. Until the discoveries of Louis Pasteur, it was not appreciated that microorganisms were the causes of disease and spoilage. Ways of keeping feed streams to a bioprocess uncontaminated had not been invented.

In very early times, waste treatment was continuous. However, the main processes were dumping wastes on land or into natural waters. Biological waste treatment in channels or vessels is roughly 100 years old and is predominantly continuous because the wastes keep coming.

An early continuous process was the vinegar generator in which acetobacter attach to wood shavings. Trickling a sugar solution down through a vessel packed with shavings produced vinegar. The acetic acid discourages contamination at conditions where the acetobacter thrive.

The chemostat invented in the early 1940's marked the advent of serious continuous fermentation.

  • Go with the flow
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    (c) 1995 H. Bungay