The department was started in 1975 to undertake research and development in the area of food-related biotechnological processes of economic importance to India, with emphasis on biochemical engineering investigations necessary for efficient process development. The thrust over the years has been on the development of fermentative, enzymatic and similar bio-technological processes on laboratory scale; pilot plant trials for scaling them up; and technology transfer to industry. The facilities in the department and the experience and expertise available here have turned it into a major centre in India for R&D work related to the food fermentation industry in particular, and the food processing industry in general..

. Submerged fermentation

· Solid state fermentation

· Development of biosensors

· Bio-catalytic conversions for food flavours and additives

· Computer control of fermentation processes, mathematical modelling and simulation

· Bio-chemical process engineering and scale-up

· Downstream processing of biomaterials for product recovery

· Lactic acid from agro-industrial raw materials

· Polysaccharides (Xanthan gum) for food and non-food applications

· Carbohydrate-degrading enzymes (alpha-amylase, glucoamylase,
  pectinase)

Major Technologies Developed/Transferred

· Ethanol from tapioca and its fibrous waste, potato, and molasses

· Brandy from grapes, cashew apple ands banana

· Liquid fruits from banana, guava and apple

· Glucoamylase, microbial rennet and pectinase

· L-lactate bio-sensor

· Production of lactic acid by fermentation

· Yeast cells containing beta-galactosidase

Major Projects Completed

INTERNATIONAL

Cultivation of micro-organisms and production of lactic acid by fermentation:
An Indo-Swedish collaborative programme on biotechnology, supported by SAREC, Sweden and the Department of Biotechnology, India

NATIONAL

· Microcomputer monitoring and control of Fermentors

· Microcomputer-based biosensor instrument for monitoring of food
  and fermentation processes

· Development of processes for the production of flavours and food
  additives, using whole microbial cells/enzymes

· Development of a process for the production of Xanthan gum by
  fermentation

· Development of a biosensor for the detection of organophosphorus
  pesticides

· Lipase-mediated bio-transformations for the production of
  value-added food additives

Academic and Training Profile

The department being recognised for its expertise in-and exclusive facilities for- basic and applied biotechnology research, a number of young scholars come here for guidance from our scientific staff for the Ph.D. degree, and for several other research pursuits. Our scientific staff also function as faculty for the industrial microbiology and biochemical engineering subjects of M.Sc. (Food Technology) and M.Sc. (Biotechnology) courses.

Technology Services Offered

· Scale-up expertise

A modem and well-equipped laboratory spread over 10,000 sq. ft., including a 2,500 sq. ft. pilot plant section with facilities that include:

· Fermentors with modern instrumentation controls (2 to 150 Litres)

· Spectrophotometers (Milton Roy Spectronic 1000 aid Genesys 5)

· High-performance liquid chromatography (Shimadzu LC 6A)

· Gas chromatography (Shimadzu B 14)

· Fraction collector (Pharmacia Frac I 00)

· Nitrogen analyzer (Buchi 313)

· Oxygen and carbon dioxide analyzer (Servomax)

· Glucose analyzer (YSI)

· Ultra-filtration unit (Millipore lab model)

· Electro chemical detector (EG & G)

· Viscosity measuring system (Haake)

· pH and DO monitoring systems with sterilisable electrodes (Ingold)

· Solid bowl centrifuges (Sharples and Westfalia)

· Lyophiliser (Heto)

· Sonicator (B. Braun)   

· Inoculation chambers, controlled temperature shaker rooms,
  laboratory centrifuges, autoclaves, ovens, incubators, analytical
  balances, vacuum ovens, etc., for carrying out routine
  biotechnological work at the laboratory

· A small workshop for limited fabrication and electrical and
  mechanical maintenance with supporting staff, in the pilot plant.

Head
Fermentation Technology And Bioengineering
Central Food Technological Research Institute
Mysore - 570 013.
Ph: + 91- 821-2515792
Fax: + 91-821-2517233

E-mail: ftbe @ cftri . res . in

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