Exploring the limits of glucose conversion and product formation in open mixed culture fermentation

The industrial large-scale application of open mixed culture glucose fermentation processes requires a better understanding of their capacity limits and product spectra. This work aims to explore these limits through the operation of two lab-scale fermenters at increasing feeding glucose concentrations in continuous mode. In one fermenter, feeding increases were slow, aiming also at a clear determination of steady-state products yields. In the other fermenter, increases were faster, aiming also at gaining other operational insights besides a consistency validation in product spectra.