Antifoaming Agents in Bioprocesses
A defoamer or an anti-foaming agent is a chemical additive that reduces and hinders the formation of foam in industrial process liquids. The terms anti-foam agent and defoamer are synonymously used. The defoamers eliminate existing foam and anti-foamers prevent the formation of further foam. Foams are defined as the formation of bubble-like structures and which occur when they accumulate at the surface faster than they decay. Why foaming is undesirable is as it reduces the productive volume, increases cost, and threat the sterility of a fermenter. In lieu, fermentation booster helps in the elimination of lactobacillus contamination and biocides antibiotics. Prions for example produces distillery enzymes for molasses fermentation. It reduces antifoam agents while the reduction in yeast invigorates and reduces any scaling. Another fermentation enzyme for molasses storage tank manufactured by them helps in increasing molasses shelf life and reducing volatile acid content. Its role takes a lead when it partially hydrolyses non reducing sugar into fermentable sugar.
There are high alcohol yeast resistant enzymes that are resistant to high-temperature alcohol and acid and applied in the alcohol and that adopt starch bearing materials like Molasses, dry sweet potato, maize, rice, cassava, sorghum, etc. Again options like powdered yeast nutrient and distillery enzymes are available that promote yeast cell propagation and active ethanol fermentation. GMP Certified Enzymes are proteins, which act as catalysts and fermentation involve the use of microorganisms, like bacteria and yeast to produce the enzymes. There are two methods of fermentation used to produce enzymes. One is the submerged fermentation and the other is solid-state fermentation. Submerged fermentation is the cultivation of microorganisms in liquid nutrient broth. Industrial enzymes can be produced using this process. This involves growing carefully selected microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) in covered vessels containing a rich broth of nutrients (the fermentation medium) and a high concentration of oxygen. As the microorganisms break down the nutrients, they release out the desired enzymes into the solution. Solid-state fermentation involves the cultivation of microorganisms on a solid substrate, such as grains, rice, and wheat bran. This method is an alternative to the production of enzymes in liquid by submerged fermentation enzymes. This solid-state fermentation has many advantages over submerged fermentation. These include high volumetric productivity, relatively high concentration of the product, and simple fermentation equipment. The yeast nutrient complex and enzyme blend supply complete macro and micronutrients and a comprehensive environmental package.
The CPU water to control contamination is another unique formulation at Prions. TVA reduction in CPU Water is the best Formulation. It is a blend of selected distillery enzymes to control the intermediate volatile acidity production in the conventional continuous process of molasses fermentation resulting in increased process efficiency and alcohol yield. A unique silica formulation to reduce the foam during fermentation and which is a completely eco-friendly option meeting global standards. Prions Biotech, a Belgaum-based biotechnology company has resolved a lot of problems that process severe problems in the handling of molasses fermentation.
Antifoaming agents are added to prevent or counter the foam generation in the formulation. Generally, these agents have surface-active properties and are insoluble in the foaming medium. These are less viscous, easily spreadable on the foamy surface, and possess an affinity to the air–liquid surface where it destabilizes the foam lamellas, which rupture the air bubbles and break down the surface foam. Entrained air bubbles are agglomerated, and the larger bubbles rise to the surface of the bulk liquid more quickly.
Commonly used antifoaming agents are certain alcohols (cetostearyl alcohol), insoluble oils (castor oil), stearates, polydimethylsiloxanes, and other silicone derivatives, ether, and glycols. Enzymes are biological catalysts (also known as biocatalysts) that speed up biochemical reactions in living organisms, and which can be extracted from cells and then used to catalyze a wide range of commercially important processes. The role of these is uncountable in the field of bio-processes.
