The practice of industrial microbiology has its roots in ancient times, when microorganisms were used to produce foods like bread, beer, wine, cheese, and vinegar dating back to 7000 BC. Important developments included the Egyptians discovering yeast could leaven bread around 4000 BC, and distillation of alcoholic spirits originating in China or the Middle East around the 14th century. In the 19th century, Pasteur's work proved the presence of microbes and discredited the theory of spontaneous generation, establishing the field of fermentation microbiology. The history of industrial microbiology is divided into five phases from pre-1900 focusing on products like alcohol to post-1979 utilizing genetic engineering for improved microbial and animal cell strain selection.

1. Asweshvaran R
III B. Sc. Microbiology

2. 7,000 BC:
 The practise of industrial Microbiology has its roots deep in antiquity. Long before their
“ discovery, ” microorganisms were exploited to serve the needs and desires of humans,
for example to preserve milk, fruits, and vegetables, and to enhance the quality of life by
producing beverages, cheeses, bread, pickled foods, and vinegar. The use of yeasts
dates back to ancient days.
 The oldest fermentation know - how – the conversion of sugar to alcohol by yeasts – was
used to make beer in Sumeria and Babylonia as early as 7000 BC .

3. 4,000 BC to 400 BC:
 4,000 BC - The Egyptians had discovered that carbon dioxide generated by the action of brewer ’ s
yeast could leaven bread. Ancient peoples are also known to have made cheese with mold
and bacteria.
 3,500 BC - Another ancient product of fermentation, wine, was made in Assyria (Northern Iraq) in
3500 BC and reference to wine can be found in the Book of Genesis, where it is noted that
Noah consumed a bit too much of the beverage. According to the Talmud, A man without
salt and vinegar is a lost man.
 400 BC - In the field of human health, vinegar has a long history of use: the Assyrians used it to
treat chronic middle ear diseases, Hippocrates treated patients.

4. 100 BC to 14th century:
 The use of microorganisms in food also has a long history.
 100 BC - Ancient Rome had over 250 bakeries which were making leavened bread. As a
method of preservation, milk was fermented to lactic acid to make yogurt and also
converted into kefyr (kefir) or grains and koumiss using Kluyveromyces species in
Asia.
 700 AD - The use of mold to saccharify rice in the koji process (A Japanese term for
cultured grain) dates back at least to AD 700.
 14th Century - The distillation of alcoholic spirits from fermented grain, a practise thought to have
originated in China or the Middle East, was common in many parts of the world. Vinegar
manufacture began in Orleans, France, at the end of the 14th century and the surface
technique used is known as the Orleans method.

5. 17th century:
 Antonie van Leeuwenhoek : The movable micro-animal found in water with the help of
simple lens (Microscope).
 Francesco Redi : Discovered by the Theory of Spontaneous Generation in 1668.

6. 19th century:
 1850s, Pasteur had detected two optical types of amyl alcohol, that is, D and L ,
but he was not able to separate the two.
 He began to study living microbes carrying out fermentation which led to his
conclusion, in 1857.
 Pasteur proved the presence of microbes in the air, which discredited the theory
of spontaneous generation of microbes, and it was at this point that fermentation
microbiology was born, In 1861.
 Using his microscope, he noted that the fermentation broth contained not only
yeast cells, but also bacteria, and he already knew that these could produce
lactic acid. This observation led to his suggestion that such souring could be
prevented by a mild heat treatment, which later became known as “
pasteurization. ”

7. 20th century:
 The history of industrial microbiology can be divided into five phases,
 1
st
Phase: Period before 1900 - Alcohol, Vinegar, Bakers yeast, glycerol, citric acid, lactic acid and
acetone / butanol.
 2nd Phase : 1900 to 1940 - Penicillin, streptomycin other antibiotics
 3rd Phase : 1940 to 1964 - Gibberellins, amino acids, nucleotides, enzymes, transformations
 4th Phase : 1964 to 1976 - Single cell protein using hydrocarbons and other feed stocks
 5th Phase : 1979 – Onward - Production of proteins by microbial and animal cells, Monoclonal
antibodies produced by animal cells

8. 1st Phase: Period before 1900
Main products Fermenters Process control Culture
method
Quality
control
Pilot plant
facilities
Strain selection
Alcohol Wooden up to
1500 barrels
capacity
Use of
thermometers,
hydrometer and
heat exchangers
Batch Nil Nil Pure yeast culture
used at some of the
breweries.
Vinegar Battels-shallow
trays-trickle filters
- Batch Nil Nil Process inoculated
with good vinegar
Bakers yeast,
glycerol, citric
acid, lactic acid
and acetone /
butanol
Steel vessels up to
200 m3
For acetone /
butanol. Air
sprayers used for
bakers yeast.
pH electrodes
with off/line
control.
Temperature
control
Batch and
fed-batch
systems
Nil Nil Pure cultures used

9. 2nd Phase : 1900 to 1940
Main
products
Fermenters Process
control
Culture method Quality
control
Pilot plant
facilities
Strain
selection
Penicillin,
streptomycin
other
antibiotics
Mechanical
stirring used
in small
vessels,
mechanically
aerated
vessels
Sterilizable pH
and oxygen
electrodes
Batch and fed-
batch common
Very
important
Becomes
common
Mutations
and selection
programme
essential

10. 3rd Phase : 1940 to 1964
4th Phase : 1964 to 1976
Main products Fermenters Process control Culture method Quality
control
Pilot plant
facilities
Strain selection
Gibberellins,
amino acids,
nucleotides,
enzymes,
transformations
Vessels operated
aseptically true
fermentation
Use of control
loops which
were later
computerised
Continuous culture
introduced for
brewing and some
primary
metabolites
Very
important
Becomes
common
Mutation and
selection
programme
essential
Single cell
protein using
hydrocarbons
and other feed
stocks
Pressure cycle and
pressure jet
vessels developed
to overcome gas
and heat exchange
problems
Use of
computers
linked control
loops
Continuous culture
with medium
recycle
Very
important
Very
important
Genetic
engineering of
producers
strain
attempted

11. 5th Phase : 1979 – Onward
Main products Fermenters Process control Culture method Quality
control
Pilot plant
facilities
Strain selection
Production of
proteins by
microbial and
animal cells,
Monoclonal
antibodies
produced by
animal cells
Fermenters
developed in
phase 3 and 4
Animal cell
reactors
developed
Control and
sensors developed
in phases 3 and 4
Batch, fed batch
or continuous
fermentation
developed for
animal cell
processes
Very
important
Very
important
Introduction of
foreign genes into
microbial and
animal cells. In
vitro recombinant
DNA techniques
used in the
improvement of
phase 3 products

12. Reference:
Books:
◦ 1. Industrial Biotechnology. Sustainable Growth and Economic Success. Edited by Wim Soetaert and
Erick J. Vandamme (https://application.wiley-vch.de/books/sample/3527314423_c01.pdf)
◦ 2. Industrial Microbiology, Author unknow. ()