ABSTRACT
Despina Kalogianni
Chapter Author:
Despina Kalogianni (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9638-8713" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9638-8713)
The need for rapid and efficient monitoring of industrial bioprocesses is of great importance due to the rapid evolution of the fermentation industry, especially in the food sector. Fermentation processes are vulnerable to the changes of conditions and chemical composition of the substrates that may affect the final product quality, as well as the efficiency of the process. Thus, rapid, accurate, and continuous control methods for online monitoring of fermentation processes have been developed, including multisensor systems, to ensure aseptic conditions, normal process evolution, productivity and efficiency, and good quality of the final product. In vinegar production, two main biochemical processes are involved: alcoholic fermentation by yeasts, followed by an oxidation reaction (acetification) by acetic acid bacteria. The second process is particularly sensitive to process parameters, such as temperature, substrate composition, and oxygen that critically affect the industrial production efficiency, the process cost, and the overall product quality. Several techniques have been applied for online monitoring of vinegar fermentations, including near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography, and chemical sensors.
