Microorganisms in Fermentation

Microorganisms [bacteria, fungi (yeasts and mold)] have been adopted successfully in a wide range of industries, from food and beverage processing industries to pharmaceutical operations. Additionally, microorganisms offer tremendous unexploited potential for value- added products such as amino acids, nucleotides and nucleosides, vitamins, organic acids, alcohols, exopolysaccharides, antibiotics, antitumor agents, etc., through various fermentation processes and parameters. This chapter reviews the involvement of various groups of microorganisms in fermentation. The measurement of microbial biomass, growth and kinetics, and factors affecting fermentation processes are also explained. The roles of microorganisms (bacteria and yeasts) involved in fermentation processes [solid-state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SmF)] mostly related in processing industries are discussed.