Advantages and Disadvantages of Fed-Batch Fermentation
There are a number of advantages and disadvantages in fed-batch fermentation mode when compared to other methods and some of the important ones are outlined below.
Advantages
1. Production of high cell densities due to extension of working time.
2. Controlled conditions in the provision of substrates during the fermentation, particularly regarding the concentration of specific substrates such as the carbon source.
3. Control over the production of byproducts or catabo- lite repression effects due to limited provision of substrates solely required for product formation.
4. The mode of operation can overcome and control deviations in the organism’s growth pattern.
5. Allows the replacement of water loss by evaporation.
Disadvantages
1. Fed-batch fermentation requires previous analysis of the microorganism and a sound understanding of its physiology and productivity.
2. Requires a substantial amount of operator skill for the set-up and process development work.
3. In a cyclic fed-batch culture, care should be taken in the design of the process to ensure that toxins do not accumulate to inhibitory levels. Furthermore, if many cycles are run in the cyclic fed-batch mode the accumulation of non-producing or low-producing variants of the microorganisms can also have a negative effect on the overall yield.