Microbial Fermentation and Enzyme Technology

Microbes are the key players in converting the natural renewable substrates to value-added products such as enzymes, organic acids, alcohols, polymers and more through fermentation. It is a process of microbial biotechnology. Today, enhanced production of economically important fermentation products has benefited from targeted genetic engineering techniques to established industrial microbial strains. Enzymes are products of living organisms and have been used in the industry for many years due to their catalytic activities, repeated usability, etc. Enzyme has a broad range of applications from food to detergents. Most enzymes are commercially available and used to enhance the product quality in food, detergents, leather, paper, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The present book is dealing with 20 nos of articles covering with many frontier areas of microbial fermentation and enzyme technology. To start with a lucid introduction on fermentation and enzyme science, adding with an overview on molecular structure, genetic architecture and biotechnological perspectives of α-amylase. A well narration is presented on the role of microbial enzymes in food industry, the importance of fermented food in healthcare sectors and also the enzymatic contribution in functional foods and food products. The applications of immobilized cells and enzymes have also been well documented in the present book. Production of antioxidants and cholesterol lowering process were discussed. Relevance of microbial enzymes in textile industries was also presented. Applications of microbes in organophosphate pesticide degradation and the importance of enzymes in fuel biotechnology is also noteworthy. The book also illuminates about the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass using engineered microorganisms and concomitant production of ethanol.