Biology · Microbes in Human Welfare · NEET
A fermentor (also written fermenter) is a very large closed vessel or tank in which microbes are grown on an industrial scale. NCERT says: production on an industrial scale requires growing microbes in very large vessels called fermentors. Inside, conditions like temperature and food supply are controlled so the microbes make the product in large amounts.
Household products (curd, cheese, idli/dosa dough) are made at small, home or dairy scale using microbes directly in food. Industrial products (wine, beer, antibiotics like penicillin, organic acids, enzymes) are made on a large commercial scale inside fermentors. For NEET, remember: the 8.1 section is household, the 8.2 section (industrial) starts with beverages and antibiotics.
NCERT lists four main groups: (1) Fermented beverages (wine, beer, whisky, brandy, rum), (2) Antibiotics (like penicillin), (3) Chemicals, enzymes and other bioactive molecules such as organic acids (citric, acetic, butyric, lactic), enzymes (lipases, pectinase, streptokinase) and drugs (cyclosporin A, statins).
Both spellings mean the same equipment. NCERT uses fermentors. In exams you may see either spelling; both refer to the large vessel where microbes are cultured to make products. Do not confuse fermentor (the vessel) with fermentation (the chemical process).
On an industrial scale we need huge, uniform quantities of pure product. A fermentor lets us control temperature, air (aerobic or anaerobic), pH and nutrients, keep the culture pure, and harvest large volumes. Natural fermentation cannot give this consistency or scale.
Match List I with List II. List I (Microorganism): (a) Aspergillus niger (b) Acetobacter aceti (c) Clostridium butylicum (d) Lactobacillus. List II (Product): (i) Acetic Acid (ii) Lactic Acid (iii) Citric Acid (iv) Butyric Acid.
Match the following columns and select the correct option: (a) Clostridium butylicum (b) Trichoderma polysporum (c) Monascus purpureus (d) Aspergillus niger with (i) Cyclosporin-A (ii) Butyric acid (iii) Citric acid (iv) Statins.
Match List I (Bioactive molecules) with List II (Importance): A. Streptokinase B. Statins C. Lipases D. Cyclosporin A with I. Immunosuppressive agent II. Removal of clots from the blood vessels III. Blood cholesterol-lowering agent IV. Detergent formulations.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
NCERT Class 12 Chapter 8 uses the term. It says industrial-scale production requires growing microbes in very large vessels called fermentors (Figure 8.4).
Beverages and antibiotics. These are the two examples NCERT lists right at the start of section 8.2 Microbes in Industrial Products.
Yes. The same yeast used for bread-making, called brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), is used industrially to ferment malted cereals and fruit juices to produce ethanol for beverages.
Yes. Citric acid (Aspergillus niger), acetic acid (Acetobacter aceti), butyric acid (Clostridium butylicum) and lactic acid (Lactobacillus) are industrial products made using microbes.
A fermentor is the large vessel (equipment) in which microbes grow. Fermentation is the chemical process by which microbes convert raw material into the product. The process happens inside the vessel.
