Abstract
Electro-fermentation (EF) is an upcoming technology that can control the metabolism of exoelectrogenic bacteria (i.e., bacteria that transfer electrons using an extracellular mechanism). The fermenter consists of electrodes that act as sink and source for the production and movement of electrons and protons, thus generating electricity and producing valuable products. The conventional process of fermentation has several drawbacks that restrict their application and economic viability. Additionally, metabolic reactions taking place in traditional fermenters are often redox imbalanced. Almost all metabolic pathways and microbial strains have been studied, and EF can electrochemically control this. The process of EF can be used to optimize metabolic processes taking place in the fermenter by controlling the redox and pH imbalances and by stimulating carbon chain elongation or breakdown to improve the overall biomass yield and support the production of a specific product. This review briefly discusses microbe-electrode interactions, electro-fermenter designs, mixed-culture EF, and pure culture EF in industrial applications, electro methanogenesis, and the various products that could be hence generated using this process.
Highlights
Fermentation has been the backbone of the food transformation industry to increase conservation time and alter production, limiting components to have a higher yield like the texture properties of foods and the organoleptic properties for a long time
This study indicated that electron transfer could be possible in both directions in the current- generating bacteria
For fermentation processes that look for microbial-biomass synthesis like the industrial production of probiotics and starters, the EF proves to be a valuable technique wherein the traditional methods consist of major setbacks like cell count as well as their activity inhibited by-product collection and various pH and redox controlling agents most of them being chemicals which results in increasing the osmotic pressure on the cell membrane and the overall salinity which further complicates the entire process
Summary
Drishti Dinesh Bhagchandanii 1,† , Rishi Pramod Babu 1,† , Jayesh M.
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