ABSTRACT
In almost all fermentations, parameters such as pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen, are monitored as standard. The term “biosensor” means slightly different things to different people. Generally speaking, a biosensor is an analytical device that couples a biological recognition element, which specifically detects the target analyte, to a transducer, which generates a detectable and preferably quantitative signal. The biological recognition element may be an enzyme, an antibody, another binding molecule, or a living cell. The transducer may detect a redox reaction, light emission, altered levels of an ion, a luminescent or fluorescent signal, or a change in mass associated with a surface. The biological element of the biosensor is critical in that it provides the specificity of response. Enzymes are the most popular choice of recognition element for biosensors, and the easiest to transduce, since they recognize a specific substrate and catalyze a reaction which causes a well-defined change in the system.
