Fermentation processes have a wide range of industrial and commercial applications in addition to their biologic nature. When it comes to fermentation research, Biotech Resources is one of the leading providers of fermentation process development. Whether your business is interested in finding an enzyme transformation assessment or are interested in conducting a screen of different activities, Biotech Resources has the right team of expert scientists and a history of helping their clients achieve a wide range of goals in a variety of industries.
While having an ideal partner for your fermentation research is key, it’s just as important to have a basic understanding of how the fermentation process works before you enter into your partnership. If it’s been a while since you took a biology or chemistry course, you’d be forgiven not to understand the ins and outs of fermentation and anaerobic respiration. Here’s a quick overview of the different steps of fermentation so you can better work with a biotechnology company such as Biotech Resources.
What to Know About Fermentation
Fermentation is very similar to aerobic respiration in that it begins through a process called glycolysis. Glycolysis is a process in which carbohydrates such as glucose breaks down and ultimately forms a new molecule known as pyruvate, which gets used in aerobic respiration. That being said, with fermentation, pyruvate doesn’t actually get created. Instead, the molecule that’s created depends on the type of fermentation happening.
For example, thanks to the lack of oxygen, alcoholic fermentation often results in the creation of ethyl alcohol. Alcoholic fermentation is what’s responsible for creating alcoholic beverages like wine or beer. However, alcoholic fermentation isn’t the only kind of fermentation that occurs. Another common fermentation that happens in humans, for example, creates lactic acid. You likely know about lactic acid from when your muscles get sore after a hard workout. Lactic acid is what your muscles use to create fuel to help power your workouts, so even though it can cause pain, it’s a sign that your body is functioning properly.
Understanding Anaerobic Respiration
Anaerobic respiration, also known as anaerobic cellular respiration, is usually handled by different microorganisms. These microorganisms are generally either bacteria or archaea which use a process called anaerobic respiration in order to create fuels that allow them to live. Just like fermentation and aerobic respiration, the first step involves glycolysis. However, while fermentation ends with glycolysis, anaerobic respiration results in pyruvate, which eventually is either converted back into either fatty acids or carbohydrates.
As you can see, the technical and chemical processes of fermentation and anaerobic respiration are both quite similar in that they’re organic processes for creating energy. As such, fermentation plays a vital role in a broad variety of industries. Fermentation is most commonly used in creating alcoholic beverages, for example, as well as other food products like bread and yogurt. Biofuel companies also use fermentation in order to transform corn and other grains as a way to create ethanol. This makes it quite popular as a renewable resource and even can be used to produce hydrogen gas.
Whether you’re running a distillery or a biochemistry company, a business like Biotech Resources has the equipment you need to create the proper molecules necessary for the fermentation process. From fermentors in a broad range of sizes and volumes to shake flask cultivation equipment and analytical equipment, whatever tool you might need in order to get your job done Biotech Resources has the skill and equipment to achieve your goals. As such, they’ll be able to handle everything from protein expression and strain development to downstream processing and even analytical biochemistry.
