ABSTRACT
In a more restricted sense, industrial microbiology is concerned with employing microorganisms to produce a desired product and preventing microbes from diminishing the economic value of various products. Some of the commercial products made by microbes are antibiotics, steroids, human protein, vaccines, vitamins, organic acids, amino acids, enzymes, alcohols, organic solvents, and synthetic fuels. This chapter discusses the significance of industrial biotechnology, product validation and regulation of biotechnology products. It explains the large-scale production of biomolecules using bioreactors, biosafety issues and automation of industrial plants. The chapter describes types of fermenters and their applications, upstream and downstream processes for biotechnology products. It discusses industrial applications of microbes, plants, and mammalian cells in biotechnology product development. Production methods in industrial microbiology bring together raw materials, microorganisms, and a controlled favorable environment to produce the desired substance. The success of an industrial fermentation process chiefly depends on the strain of the microorganism used.
