Uses microorganism in food processing

Food is made up of chemicals which are primarilywater, proteins, lipids,

carbohydrates and minerals.The major components that are altered by
processing include proteins, lipids and carbohydrates.To make food
safe(microbiologically,chemically),to provide products of the highestquality
(flavor, color, texture),to make food into forms that areconvenient (ease of
use)and Economic value.
Processes that are aimed at prevention of growth include:
Refrigeration
Freezing
Drying
Control of water activity
(addition of salt sugars, polyols, etc.)
Pasteurization
Sterilization (canning)
Cleaning and sanitizing
Membrane processing
Microorganisms are involved in producing many foodsand beverages.
Fermentation produces characteristic flavors, aromas, andconsistencies of
various foods
Microbial metabolism has other functionsI
.Acts as a preservativeII
.Destroys many pathogenic microbes and toxinsIII
.Can add nutritional value in form of vitamins or other nutrients
Microbes are used in food production
Examples:
Cheese=Lacticacid bacteria
Yoghurt=S. thermophilus,Lb. bulgaricus
Microorganism plays a vital rolein food processing. Not only todaybut
from ancient times processingand preservation of foods byFermentation
techniques havebeen done using ancienttechnologies. Fermentationtechniques
not only increasedshelf life and microbialSefety of a food,but also makesome
food more tasty anddigestable.

Uses in waste water treatment

The role of microorganisms is elaborated further here because they are also
important in thetreatment of wastewater. What is waste for humans and higher
vertebrates becomes a usefulfood substrate for the microorganisms. In both
natural and engineered treatment systemsmicroorganisms such as bacteria,
fungi, protozoa, and crustaceans play an essential role in the conversion of
organic waste to more stable less polluting substances. They form what istermed
a food chain. Microorganisms play a major role in decomposing waste organic
matter, removingcarbonaceous BOD, coagulating nonsettlable colloidal solids,
and stabilizing organic matter.These microorganisms convert colloidal and
dissolved carbonaceous organic matter intovarious gases and cell tissue. The cell
tissue, having a specific gravity greater than water, canthen be removed from
treated water through gravity settling.
In the treatment of wastewater three
types of overall processes are distinguished to representthe conversion of
organic wastes by microorganisms. The classification is based on whetherthe
environment where the process takes place is aerobic, anaerobic or
photosynthetic. Underaerobic conditions, micro-organisms utilize oxygen to
oxidize organic substances to obtainenergy for maintenance and the synthesis of
cellular material. Under anaerobic conditions, themicroorganisms utilize nitrates,
sulphates and other hydrogen acceptors to obtain energy forthe synthesis of
cellular material from organic substances
Photosynthetic organisms use carbon dioxide as a carbon source, inorganic
nutrients assources of phosphate and nitrogen and utilize light energy to drive
the conversion process.Microorganisms also produce waste products, some of
which are desirable and some undesirable. Gases such as CO2 and N2 are
desirable, since they can be easily separated and donot produce pollution. Gases
such as H2 S, although easily separated require treatment for odor.
Microorganisms are significant in water and wastewater because of their roles in
diseasetransmission and in biological treatment processes. Water, wastewater,
and other waterpractitioners must have considerable knowledge of the
microbiological characteristics of waterand wastewater.
This described the
role of microorganisms on wastewater, reactions involved in theiractivities,
environmental parameters affecting their growth and activities, biological
cycles,and microbial groups associated with various biological wastewater
treatment processes.

Uses in oil spil

In the past, most major spills have been at the surface. The Deepwater Horizon
rig was drilling in seawater about 1500 metres deep, and the oil that gushed
from the broken well on the sea bed was released at great depth.
A lot reached the surface, but some has probably travelled in deep water
currents and it is hard to predict the effects that this might have, and how long
the oil will take to decay. One of the agents of decay is microbial action, where
bacteria and other microbes are able to utilise components of oil as a food
source.
Crude oils vary in composition but all contain a mixture of hydrocarbons,
molecules containing carbon and hydrogen only. Some hydrocarbons have ring
shaped molecules, and include benzene, naphthalenes, xylenes and toluenes.

Hydrocarbon molecules containing two or more rings, are known as polycyclic

aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and they are highly toxic to marine organisms.
Hydrocarbons made of straight chain molecules are also abundant. The longer
the hydrocarbon chain the greater the viscosity - the thickness and resistance to
flow).
The components of crude oil are separated by refining, and oil tankers may be
carrying a refined fraction rather than crude oil.
Many marine microbes feed on oil and refined oil products, gaining energy for
growth and reproduction by breaking down the hydrocarbons, using the process
of respiration. These microbes are abundant where oil seeps naturally through
fissures in the oceanic floor into seawater, as happens in the Gulf of Mexico.
After an accidental oil spill into open water, the numbers of oil eating microbes
increase. Oxygen concentration is high in sea water close to the surface, so
microbes break down oil at relatively rapid rates using aerobic respiration.
Oil eating bacteria include Alcanivorax borkumensis, which breaks down straightchain and branched-chain hydrocarbons 1. As the oil is fragmented into droplets
by wave action, Alcanivorax cluster on the surface of droplets forming a biofilm,
and secrete biosurfactant which helps with ingesting the oil.

Uses of microorganism in production of antibiotic

vaccine
Antibiotics are biotechnological products that inhibit bacterial growth or kill
bacteria. They are naturally produced by microorganisms, such as fungi, to attain
an advantage over bacterial populations. Antibiotics are produced on a large
scale by cultivating and manipulating fungal cells. Many antibacterial compounds
are classified on the basis of their chemical or biosynthetic origin into natural,
semisynthetic, and synthetic. Another classification system is based on biological
activity. In this classification, antibiotics are divided into two broad groups
according to their biological effect on microorganisms: bactericidal agents kill
bacteria, and bacteriostatic agents slow down or stall bacterial growth .
Traditional vaccination strategies use weakened or inactive forms of
microorganisms to mount the initial immune response. Modern techniques use
the genes of microorganisms cloned into vectors to mass produce the desired
antigen. The antigen is then introduced into the body to stimulate the primary
immune response and trigger immune memory. Genes cloned from the
influenza virus have been used to combat the constantly-changing strains of this
virus.

uses microorganism of energy from biomass

Four types of microorganisms are used to produce biomass: bacteria, yeasts,
fungi and algae. The choice of a microorganism depends on numerous criteria,
the most important of which is the nature of the raw material available. The
other criteria are: nutritional: energy value, protein content, amino acid
balance; technological: type of culture, nutritional requirements, type of
separation; toxicological. The ideal microorganism should possess the following

technological characteristics: high specific growth rate (m) and biomass yield
(Yx/s); high affinity for the substrate; low nutritional requirements, i.e., few
indispensable growth factors; ability to use complex substrates; ability to
develop high cell density; stability during multiplication; capacity for genetic
modification; good tolerance to temperature and pH. In addition, it should have
a balanced protein and lipid composition. It must have a low nucleic acid
content, good digestibility and be non-toxic
Numerous species of algae, bacteria, yeasts and fungi are used to produce
biomass from the various carbon substrates available (GOLDBERG, 1985;
ATKINSON and MAVITUNA, 1983). A list (not exhaustive) is given in .In principle,
the microorganisms mentioned here are not toxic, and it should be possible to
use them all in animal feed and most in human food. However, they are not all
officially accepted in all countries. It should also be noted that excessive use of
antibiotics in the treatment of certain illnesses has resulted in the appearance of
antibioticresistant strains (e.g., Candida tropicalis) of non-toxic species. Use of
resistant strains should be avoided.