Explain the challenges encountered during the development of a bioprocess.
The development of a bioprocess encounters several challenges that must be addressed for successful commercial production.
A major challenge is increasing production of desired compounds. This was evident during the development of penicillin production, where many companies and government laboratories had to collaborate with universities and institutions to overcome production challenges.
During upstream processing, multiple preparatory operations present challenges. These include sterilisation of the medium, ensuring proper aeration and agitation, and handling shear sensitivity of the biological systems involved.
Scaling up from laboratory to industrial level is another significant challenge. The process must be designed to achieve high product formation while maintaining consistency and quality at commercial level.
The preparation of appropriate nutrient media or culture media is challenging as different formulations are needed for microbial, plant, and animal cell cultures. Raw materials must first be converted to a suitable fermentable form.
Finally, running the bioprocess with optimised process parameters is essential for high production of desired compounds, requiring continuous research efforts worldwide.
Explanation
The textbook context discusses the emergence of bioprocessing through the challenge of increasing penicillin production. It mentions key upstream processing challenges including sterilisation, aeration, agitation, shear sensitivity, and scaling up. The context also highlights the need for optimised process parameters and appropriate nutrient media formulations for different cell types.