Microbes in Human Welfare

Microbes - Household and Industrial applications

Household Applications

• Lactic acid bacteria (LAB)

  • Milk Curd

  • LAB produces acids that coagulate and partially digest milk proteins.

  • Small amount of curd that is added to the milk for curdling acts as an inoculum containing thousands of LABS, which further multiply.

  • LAB enhances the nutritional value of milk by increasing Vitamin B₁₂.

  • LAB present in stomach prevents infections.

• Fermentation
  • ​Dosa and idli dough is fermented by bacteria, which produces CO₂ gas and gives it a puffed-up appearance.
  • ​Dough used for making breads is fermented by baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).
  • ​‘Toddy’, a traditional drink from South India is made by fermenting sap from palm trees.
  • The xanthan gum, which is used in thickening of ice creams, puddings, chocolates etc. is obtained by fermentation of starch and molasses. The fermentation is carried out with the help of Xanthomonas sp. Xanthum gum is also used in the production of pigments, fertilizers, weedicides, textile pigments, tooth pastes, high quality paper, etc.

• For industrial purposes, microbes are grown in large vessels called fermentors.

• On industrial scale, fermented beverages, antibiotics, enzymes, and other bioactive molecules are prepared using microbes.

• Fermented beverages 
  Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also called brewer’s yeast, is used to prepare wine, beer, whisky, brandy, rum, etc. depending upon the type of raw material and processing.

• If fermented broth is distilled, then brandy and rum are produced while wine and beer are produced without distillation.

• Antibiotics

  • Certain microorganisms inhibit the growth of other microorganisms wherever they grow.

  • Antibiotics are chemical substances produced by certain microbes that kill or retard the growth of other microbes (disease-causing microbes).

  • Penicillin discovered by Alexander Fleming was the first antibiotic to be discovered.

  • Fleming discovered it by chan…