Fermentation Technology Division focuses on microbial biodiversity research / IPR leading to the production of novel bioactive products, biocatalysts, biotransformed products for human health and enhanced agriculture crop yields through microbial fertilizer, biocides and metal gluconates. This division is well equipped with latest fermentors from lab scale to pilot scale 4KL with supporting downstream processing facilities.
Technology development for agricultural crop yield increase by biofertilizers, biocontrol agents and micronutrients.
Isolation of new microorganisms and endophytes to develop library of microorganisms for novel bioactives and biocatalysts.
The department has excellent Micro-processor controlled fermentation facility from lab scale to pilot scale (5-4KL capacity) with supporting down-stream processing facilities for bacterial, fungal and yeast based products.
Microbial strains isolated from various niches of Leh (Ladakh), Drass (Kargil) area (water samples from hot water springs of Chumathong- 16000Ft, Pugga, Nobra 15000Ft and Cold water Lakes of Karzok (Tsomorari 15075 Ft.), Tsoker, Pangong; Soil samples from Karzok 15075Ft, Tanglangla 17500Ft, Changla Pass 17830Ft, Pangong, Nobra (North and south Pullu) 16000-17000Ft, Khurdungla18360Ft. Cataloguing and characterization of the microbes according to physiological/ molecular properties with more emphasis on halophiles, psychrotrophs and thermophiles is done for exploration for novel bioactives & biocatalysts.
Enzyme immobilization studies being done to develop the enzyme based cheaper, easy to operate and green processes. Chiral drugs and their intermediates are well known for application in pharmaceutical industry, therefore, we focus on resolution of important drugs or their intermediates using free and immobilized enzymes.
Large scale production of enzymes such as glucose oxidase, glucose dehydrogenases, lipases, esterases, nitrilase, glucosidases, cellulases is being done. Scale-up processes of a few enzymes have been demonstrated to industries.
Fermentation technology for production of DHA (cis-4, 7,10,13,16,19-Docosahexaenoic Acid) has been developed using marine isolate. The technology has been successfully demonstrated to Avesthagen Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore.
We have developed microbial strains of Rhizobium, Azatobacter, Azospirillum and further cultivated under certain specifically defined physico-chemical conditions in 500L fermentor. The fermentation product can be used for nitrogen fixation to increase crop yields.
Similarly technology on production of biocontrol agents by submerged and solid state fermentation (SSF) has been transferred to various Indian industries. A strain of Trichoderma viride has been developed which profusely sporulate under submerged fermentation conditions at certain specifically defined physico-chemical conditions. The process has been scaled up to 500L scale.
A fermentation process for metal gluconates has been developed for production at 40KL. The technology has been transferred to industries and is being produced at 1500TPA.
A single step fermentation process allows starch hydrolysate to convert directly to gluconates of Calcium, Sodium, and Barium etc. has been developed. The process is highly cost effective, less energy intensive and environmental friendly. The gluconate salts are used in neutraceuticals, human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, food and cosmetic industry. The products like bio potash and bio zinc produced by this process are also being marketed by the company through out the country as an outcome of our technology for crop yield increase and now many more industries are approaching us for this technology package.
c) 64 th All India Industrial Award for best invention at Hyderabad 2004.