SHALINI A/P DORAISINGAM's Reflection
In upstream, cells and microbes grow. The research and development where inoculum and culture media development and also the improvement or alteration of inoculum by genetics also involved in upstream process. Here is where the microbes undergo tests and pH, temperature and etc. are observed. The inoculum is then developed by isolation and purification of the growth medium. Once harvest is done the process for upstream is complete. The downstream process starts with separation by centrifugation where product is isolated, purification involving sterilisation takes place, product formulated and sent to market.
I learnt in class on calculation to estimate the growth of microbes manually while in IBD there is colony counter device to do the job. The requirement of growth of microbes that I learnt also is applied in IBD where they control the temperature, pH and etc. to ensure the growth. Besides, the autoclave which I was introduced to in class is in IBD, used to kill unwanted microbes. From the visit, I found that normally 10% of inoculum is put in bioreactor.
My learning experience through this visit was enchanting as it was my first time to enter a bioprocess plant. I never knew Institute of Bioproduct Development has the machines and facilities where they also got halal certificate and run for production. It was very fun as I can get a clearer picture of how microbial production can be done in a large scale. I was so excited as I go into each section and listen to the instructors’ explanation while I imagined in my head. This visit has helped me to understand better through observation of the real process. I saw many different equipment used from upstream to downstream and was explained by experienced instructor. I could relate with what I learnt as theory about the microorganisms and their growth with the visit. My degree of understanding on microbiology increased after the visit. The new things that I learned are about the machines such as bioreactor, autoclave, homogenizer, high speed stirrer and etc., and about what bioprocess engineers actually do. Bioprocess engineers deal with development and designing of equipment and designing processes for the manufacturing of products and innovative products for a large scale of production. I also learnt that when incubation is done for too long, contamination may occur due to increasing amount of dead cells. Moreover, according to the instructor, I learnt that, for anaerobic bacteria, it is better to avoid oxygen and use nitrogen gas as supply to the bioreactor as for bacterial growth with viable cells, traces of oxygen can cause bacterial mortality. This visit has helped to clarify my doubts on microbiology where I now know how microbial production done on large scale; how the samples and the essential aspects such as ph, temperature and etc., be measured and observed time to time is done; how the research and experiment is done and tested in lab scale first before large scale where I first thought large scale means from beginning everything is in large scale.