Question

Frequently a critical component in the medium, often the carbon source, is added _____________ so that the microorganisms will not have excess substrate available at any given time?

1) sporadically
2) continuously
3) gradually
4) None of these choices are correct.

Answer 1

Microorganisms in industrial applications are maintained in the logarithmic phase by adding the critical components of the medium, such as the carbon source, continuously using a chemostat.

Step-by-step explanation:

When cultivating microorganisms, particularly in industrial applications, maintaining them in the logarithmic phase of growth is of paramount importance. This phase marks the period of rapid growth and is achieved by feeding the medium with nutrients in a specific manner. A chemostat is commonly used for this purpose, enabling the continuous addition of the medium, often containing a carbon source, which is critical for sustaining microbial growth. This method ensures that microorganisms do not have excess substrate at any given time. Therefore, the correct answer is that the critical component in the medium is added continuously.