Investigation into the Propagation of Baker's Yeast: A Laboratory Experiment in Biochemical Engineering
摘要
A laboratory experiment in biochemical engineering was designed to introduce the concepts related to biocatalysts and bioreactors to chemical engineering students who lack any prior exposure to biology. The production process of baker's yeast involving multistage scale-up was demonstrated. From the propagation of yeast cells in a 3L bioreactor for 4 or 5 hours, students obtained generally good results of typical microorganisms growth curves as well as glucose consumption, pH, and dissolved oxygen curves corresponding to the growth pattern. The oxygen demand by a given amount of yeast was also estimated.