Course: ZEA0863 – Biochemical Engineering
Credits per class: 4
Credits per paper: 0
Total hours:
60 h
Type:
Semester
Activation:
01/01/2007
Goals
Providing the students with the instruments needed for the global understanding of the
biochemical processes aimed at the operation, optimization or design of industrial
plants focused on such processes.
Program Summary
The subject subsidizes the students to globally understand the biochemical processes
(either fermentative or enzymatic). As such, tools such as fundamentals of industrial
biotechnology, enzymatic and fermentative process kinetics and the introduction to
reactor calculations based on mass balance. From there, concepts about unitary
operations directly linked to biochemical processes of the food industry, such as the
sterilization of means and equipment will be studied, as well as airing and stirring in
bioreactors. After this part of theoretical fundamentals is over, the focus shifts to
fundamentals of increased and decreased scaling and the applications of
biochemical processes in the food industry.
Program
Introduction
2. Microbiology applied to Biochemical Engineering
Microorganisms of industrial interest.
A little Biochemistry.
Sources of microorganisms.
Desirable microorganism characteristics and of culture mediums for industrial
applications.
3. Bioreactors and fermentative processes
Bioreactor classification.
Ways to conduct a fermentative process.
Comparative examples of bioreactor performances.
Notions for building a fermentation container.
4. Sterilization of reactors and mediums of growth.
Terminology and ways of action.
Sterilization by physical agents.
Sterilization and disinfection by chemical agents.
Moist heat sterilization processes.
Destruction of nutrients as a consequence of sterilization.
Sterilization time – continuous and batch processes.
Air sterilization methods.
5. Fundamentals of Enzymology
Enzymes – structure and function
Enzymes in the food industry