Microbes and the Food Industry
The specific study regarding the microorganisms that are invisible with naked eyes including both the unicellular and cluster of cell is termed as microbiology. Microbiology includes the in-depth study of eukaryotes like Protista and fungi and prokaryotes like algae and bacteria. The study includes viruses as well. Study of different organism is termed differently, for example, virology for viruses, bacteriology for bacteria, mycology for fungi and parasitology for parasites and others (Murray, Rosenthal &Pfaller, 2015).
Sewage is a type of a mixture that contains waste eater, and domestic wastes from the toilets. The sewage is composed of both organic and the dissolved inorganic matters. After the removal of the solid materials by filtration, the effluent that remains is rich in pathogenic microbes and suspended organic substances (Grady et al., 2011). The effluent is fed in the aeration tanks containing some complex community of microbes. The microbes uses the organic material in the sewage as a source of carbohydrate for the respiration.
Two type of microbial processes occur in the sewage treatment. After the completion of the primary treatment, the liquid and the solid phases of the sewage are separated physically. The two crucial steps in this process is nitrification and removal of phosphorus. The ammonia is converted to nitrate by Nitrosomonas. The nitrate is further oxidised to nitrite by Nitrobacterspp. This is the aerobic process that occurs in the sewage treatment (Grady et al., 2011).
In the liquid effluent, the denitrifying bacteria reduces the nitrate to dinitrogen gas that liberates the nitrate from the sewage. The key microorganisms used in the process are members of Nitrosomonas, who are responsible for the initial step of nitrification; that is the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate and Psedomonas in the anaerobic process, helping to reduce the nitrate in to dinitrogen gas.
Role of the microbes in compost breakdown
Microorganisms play an important role in the recycling of the wastes from agriculture. At the time of composting the mesophilic bacteria utilises the simple nutrients raising the temperature of the soil. The proliferation of the thermophilic microbes takes place in the second phase. In the thermophilic stage the heat tolerant organisms are destroyed. The high temperature helps in the degradation of the proteins and the complex polymers. Lignocellulose that is the essential component of the plant vascular biomass. In the curing phase the Mesophilic bacteria plays the key role (Singh & Nain, 2014). Decomposition of the fermented products, production of methane and other noxious gases takes place. Fungi like Trichoderma and Phanerochaete can degrade lignocellulose. Cellulomonas and Cytophaga are the aerobic mesophilic bacteria that has got the ability to degrade cellulose (Singh & Nain, 2014).
Microbes and Health
Microorganisms, especially bacteria and fungi play an important role in the food industry. A variety of important food in our diet is produced with the help of microorganisms. Example, Lactobacilli, is a type of facultative anaerobic bacteria that plays an important role in the preparation of dairy products, fermented vegetables, sourdough bread and more (Ray & Bhunia, 2013).
Examples:-
A fermented product called cultured butter milk is produced with the help of a mixture of Streptococcus lactis or S, cremoris with the aroma producing Leuconostoc dextranicum. S. Lactis converts the lactose sugar of milk to form lactic acid that causes the milk to curdle (Prescott & Dunn, 1949). Again the function of Leuconostoc is the production of a type of volatile substance that imparts a typical odour to cultured butter milk (Doyle & Buchanan,. 2012).
Again yeasts are able to ferment sugar to ethanol and carbon dioxide, due to which they are extensively used in food industry. Baker’s yeast; Saccharomyces cerevisiae is largely used in baking. Yeast serves three prime functions. It produces carbon dioxide by breaking down fermentable sugar present in the dough (Prescott & Dunn, 1949). The expansion of the dough is facilitated by the evolution of the carbon dioxide. It also causes the maturation of the dough by producing alcohol and acids on flour proteins. This gives the light airy structure. At the time of the fermentation of the dough yeast produces a many secondary metabolites like ketones, higher alcohols, aldehydes, esters, organic acids. They react to form complex flavour compounds, giving characteristic flavour to the bread (Ray & Bhunia, 2013).
Glucose Yeast enzyme Ethyl alcohol + Carbon dioxide
Many microorganisms residing in our body plays a fundamental role in human health. These normal microbial floras are present in different parts of the body including skin, gut, oral cavity and vagina. Most of the human microbiome stays in mutualistic relationship with the host. They compete with the pathogenic microbes for colonisation and nutrition and thus help to keep them away from the body. They play an important role in our immune system (Murray, Rosenthal & Pfaller, 2015).
Example: – Escherichia coli is the normal flora present in the gut that helps in the production of useful substances like vitamin B12 and Vitamin K. The normal flora of the intestine also produces enzymes like galactosidase, glucosidase and cellulose that aids in food digestion.
Role of the microorganisms in drug industry
The commercial production of penicillin and antibiotics is one of the dramatic case histories in the field of industrial microbiology. Microorganisms are being used in pharmaceutical industry for achieving special modifications of complex drug molecules like steroids. Microorganisms are widely used in the production of vaccines. There are other variety of medicinal agents’ obtained from the microorganisms like vitamins, amino acids, iron chelating agents, dextrans and certain enzymes (Wood, 2012).
Microorganisms and Drug Industry
Example:- antibiotics are the known group of secondary metabolite produced by certain bacteria and fungi, that can be harmful for the other microorganisms. These secondary metabolite production in the life cycle of microbes in restricted for certain groups of microbes (Prescott, & Dunn, 1949). These secondary metabolites do not help in the growth of the organisms but usually have other functions. Industrially antibiotics are produced by batch fermentation process.
Ex- Penicillin produced by Penicillium notatum, Cephalosporin produced by a marine fungus Cephalosporium acremonium.
Opportunistic pathogens are referred to such pathogens that utilise several opportunities such as weak immune system in order to cause illness. They can remain in the body as dormant and do not cause any disease symptoms, however, in favourable condition they could multiply to overwhelm situation and weakened the defences of body (Seng et al., 2013). Candida albicans remains as the common flora of human gut but in case of weak immune system it could become pathogenic and lead to the consequence of candidiasis in oral cavity, GI tract, urinary tract and others for over growth of the organism (Markey et al., 2013). Due to such characteristics Candida albicans can be considered as opportunistic pathogen.
Staphylococcus epidermidis:
The bacteria that are remained in the human body as semipermanent basis and do not cause any disease are called normal flora (Murray, Rosenthal &Pfaller, 2015). The gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis remains in the human skin and sometimes in the mucosa as normal flora and usually does not cause any pathogenic consequence. However, in case of weak immune system it may cause infection, especially hospital acquired infection for the patient that use catheters (Markey et al., 2013). Thus, it can be said that the organism may be act like opportunistic pathogen in favourable condition.
Lactobacillus acidophilus:
Lactobacillus acidiphulus resides in the human gastrointestinal tract and does not associated with any disease causing condition. In addition the gram positive bacteria helps in different fermentation and sometimes act as probiotic as well (Seng et al., 2013). Thus, it can be said that Lactobacillus acidophilus is a normal flora.
Streptococcus thermophiles:
There are some microorganisms that do not cause any harm to the host, rather they are beneficial for the host. In such cases the host body provides them effective environment to grow and the organisms provide adequate advantages to the host body. Such organisms are known as mutualists (Murray, Rosenthal &Pfaller, 2015). The bacteria Streptococcus thermophiles is identified as the human gut flora, however, they do not cause any harm to the host instead they help to reduce antibiotic associated diarrhoea (Seng et al., 2013). Thus, it can be said that Streptococcus thermophiles is included in the group of mutualists.
Poliovirus:
Pathogens are defined as the microorganisms that are responsible for the disruption of the normal physiology of animals and plants as well. In this regards viruses play an important role in order to cause infection and interfere with the normal function of the body (Markey et al., 2013). Poliovirus is one of the most infectious viruses and act as the responsible agent of poliomyelitis. The disease mainly affects the muscle strength of the patient and results in inability to move (Murray, Rosenthal &Pfaller, 2015). Thus, Poliovirus can be considered as a potential pathogen.
Streptococcus mutans:
Like pathogens that causes infections or other disease causing conditions, the gram positive bacteria Streptococcus mutans that are found in the oral cavity of humans also contributes to specific pathogenic condition such as dental decay (Seng et al., 2013). Thus, the bacteria Streptococcus mutans can be considered as pathogen.
References
Doyle, M. P., & Buchanan, R. L. (Eds.). (2012). Food microbiology: fundamentals and frontiers. American Society for Microbiology Press.
Grady Jr, C. L., Daigger, G. T., Love, N. G., & Filipe, C. D. (2011). Biological wastewater treatment. CRC press.
Markey, B., Leonard, F., Archambault, M., Cullinane, A., & Maguire, D. (2013). Clinical Veterinary Microbiology E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Murray, P. R., Rosenthal, K. S., & Pfaller, M. A. (2015). Medical microbiology. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Prescott, S. C., & Dunn, C. G. (1949). Industrial microbiology. Industrial microbiology.
Ray, B., & Bhunia, A. (2013). Fundamental food microbiology. CRC press.
Seng, P., Abat, C., Rolain, J. M., Colson, P., Lagier, J. C., Gouriet, F., …&Raoult, D. (2013). Identification of rare pathogenic bacteria in a clinical microbiology laboratory: impact of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Journal of clinical microbiology, JCM-00492.
Singh, S., & Nain, L. (2014, June). Microorganisms in the conversion of agricultural wastes to compost. In Proc Indian NatnSciAcad (Vol. 80, No. 2, pp. 473-481).
Wood, B. J. (2012). Microbiology of fermented foods. Springer Science & Business Media.
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