The Importance of Quantitation: Mass Balances, Bioenergetics, and the Money of Life
Bernhard Schink
Mum, why does the bread dough flow over and cause a mess, even before it is in the oven?
Microbial life is closely linked to the transformation of substrates into products and the generation of metabolic energy. Analyzing these processes requires a precise quantification of substrates and products to derive a balanced process equation, which also measures the energy released and the cell material formed. Examples include aerobic glucose oxidation and fermentations used in yogurt, sauerkraut, silage, beer, wine, and bread. The formation of gaseous products highlights the energy released in microbial metabolism. Quantitative analysis is crucial in commercial microbiological applications, such as the production of organic acids, yeast biomass, and pharmaceuticals, where controlled processes rely on accurate substrate predictions and calculations.