Question

What is the purpose of a fed-batch culture in bioprocess technology?

• A. To feed the cells with nutrients continuously
• B. To maintain a constant volume of the culture
• C. To induce stress on the cells
• D. To stop the bioprocess abruptly

Hint:

• Batch culture Closed system, initial nutrients, no addition/removal during run (except gas).
• Fed-batch culture Nutrients are added during cultivation, volume usually increases, product harvested at end.
• Continuous culture (e.g., chemostat) Fresh medium continuously added, and culture (with cells and products) continuously removed to maintain constant volume and steady state.
• Fed-batch is used to achieve high cell densities, prolong production, or control substrate levels.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

In bioprocess technology, a fed-batch culture is employed primarily to optimize the growth conditions of microorganisms or cells by continuously feeding them with nutrients. In this system, nutrients are added incrementally over time without removing the culture medium, which allows for a few key benefits:

• Extended Growth Phase: By continuously providing nutrients, cells can avoid nutrient depletion and continue to grow and produce the desired metabolites over an extended period.
• Control of By-products: The controlled addition of nutrients helps in managing the accumulation of by-products that might inhibit cell growth or product formation.
• High Cell Densities: Fed-batch cultures can achieve higher cell densities and product yields compared to simple batch cultures because nutrients are supplied based on the cellular demand.
• Flexibility in Process Control: The ability to adjust the nutrient feed rate allows for fine-tuning of the culture conditions to meet specific production goals, such as increasing the production of a particular metabolite.

Thus, the primary purpose of a fed-batch culture is indeed "To feed the cells with nutrients continuously," facilitating optimized growth and production conditions without the constraints and limitations of traditional batch culture systems.