Biology

5090
February 11, 2021 Afshan Hassan
Instructor
 Microorganisms and biotechnology

Objective:
We will be able to;
• explain the role of yeasts in the production of bread and alcohol
• outline the role of bacteria in yoghurt and cheese production
• describe the use of fermenters for large-scale production of antibiotics
and single cell protein
• describe the role of the fungus Penicillium in the production of penicillin.
 Biotechnology
Identify the products which are made using biotechnology
 Biotechnology

Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or

make products.
Modern biotechnology is divided into human, environmental,
industrial, animal and plant biotechnology.
It is helping to fight hunger and diseases, produce more safely, and
efficiently, reduce our ecological footprint and save energy.
 Biotechnology – an old art
• Biotechnology is not new: it has been used for thousands of
years.
• Some examples of such process include:
Bread making Wine and beer Yogurt making
making
 Biotechnology – a new science
• Other aspects of biotechnology are much more recent. These include
include:

Using enzymes Manufacturing Transferring

to improve antibiotics like disease
detergents penicillin resistant genes
into plants

Petri dish with

penicillin
 Microorganisms in industry
Microorganisms are used in the commercial production of many different
products, including:
:bread
Alcohol
Yoghurt
Cheese
Antibiotics
Single cell proteins
The microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeast, can easily be replicated on a large
scale. Tanks called fermenters or bioreactors are used. These enable the
micro-organisms to be grown at optimum condition. The product can be
continuously removed and purified.
 Yeast in bread production
Yeast is a type of fungus used in bread
production. Yeast digests the carbohydrates
in flour, producing carbon dioxide.

This carbon dioxide causes bread to

rise. It also creates gas pockets in
the dough, giving baked bread a
spongy texture.

At first the yeast respires Ethanol is also made

aerobically, but once it uses up during this process, but
the available oxygen it begins this evaporates when the
to respire anaerobically. bread is baked.
Fermentation and bread-making
Flour is mixed with water, yeast, salt and
sugar to make a dough.

The dough is left in a warm

environment to allow fermentation.

Fermentation produces carbon dioxide

gas,
which makes the dough rise.

The bread is baked, killing the yeast and

evaporating the alcohol. Holes are left in
the mixture where the CO2 gas expanded.
 Yeast in the production of alcohol
Yeast is used to make alcoholic beverages
such as beer, wine, rum, whiskey and vodka.
During fermentation, anaerobic respiration in
yeast cells converts glucose into ethanol.
The amount of ethanol produced is limited as
alcohol becomes toxic to microbes at certain
concentrations.
Glucose comes from different sources in the
production of different alcohols. For example, in
winemaking, natural sugars in the grapes form
the energy source for yeast.
Fermentation and wine-making
Grapes convert carbon dioxide to glucose by
photosynthesis

Grapes are crushed to release their juice,

which contains the glucose

The juice is fermented under anaerobic

conditions by the natural yeast on the grape
skins

The enzymes in the yeast convert the glucose

to alcohol
 Bacteria in the production of milk products
Bacteria grow in milk to make it go off.
This type of bacterial growth is used to
make milk into yoghurt
Cheese is another product that is made
from milk using similar process.
The bacteria used in making yoghurt
and cheese are Lactobacillus and
Streptococcus
Most cheeses also use rennet. Rennet
sets the cheese into large curds. Streptococcus Lactobacillus
 Making yoghurt
Pasteurized or sterilized milk is used
to kill unwanted bacteria.

The milk is mixed with specially-cultured

bacteria and kept warm.

The enzyme lactase from the bacteria convert milk

sugar (lactose) into lactic acid, which gives a sour taste.
The acid also coagulate the protein in the milk making
the product semi-solid.
 Making cheese
Like yoghurt, cheese is made from cow’s milk.
Goat or sheep’s milk can also be used

Specially – cultured bacteria are added to sour

the milk

A type of enzyme, rennet is added. This forms

solid curd and liquid whey.

Whey, (mainly water and lactose) is removed.

The curd is salted and pressed to become
cheese.
 Fermenters
Fermenters are containers used to grow bacteria and fungi in large
amounts.
Fungi in the production of single cell protein
Quorn is a mycoprotein. It is a tiny
fungus that is grown in the fermenter.

Nutrients are continuously fed into the

fermentation tower.

The fermented liquid is passed through a

centrifuge to remove the water and leave
a paste.

The paste is mixed with extra ingredients,

formed into different shapes and finally
steamed so that it retains the right shape.
 Properties of Quorn
All Quorn foods contain mycoprotein as an ingredient, which is
derived from the Fusarium fungus.

It is high in protein It lacks flavour but

and low in fat. It is absorbs
a good source of B surrounding
vitamins flavours well

It has a texture It contains

similar to more fibre
chicken than meat
 Fungi in the production of penicillin

A medium of corn Penicillin is Penicillin is

steep liquor, yeast secreted by purified and
Spores of extract and other the fungus. dried
Penicillium is added substances added It is extracted
to the medium to fermenter from the
medium