Fermentor

Fermentors are specific vessels in which a chemical process takes place between microorganism and the nutrients to form a particular metabolite. The reaction may require air or may not need air. Depending on the requirement of the air, it is called as aerobic or anaerobic. Most of the time the vessel is cylindrical in shape so that it can accommodate maximum substrate. The size can vary, but the material used should be rust resistant and therefore stainless steel is used. The vessel and the various probes are arranged in such a manner that it gives a controlled and contamination-free environment. Fermentor and bioreactor are the same. The only difference is that when any mammalian, plant/stem cells are used, it is termed as a bioreactor, whereas when bacteria, yeast, or fungi are used, it is called as a fermentor. During the process, large nutrient molecules are utilized by the microorganisms with the help of many enzymes found in the microbial cellular system. The complex nutrient molecules get converted into simpler forms or into useful metabolites.