Course detail

Biotechnology I

FCH-BC_BIT1Acad. year: 2025/2026

- History of biotechnology
- Substrates for microbial biotechnologies, concept of biorefinery
- Microorganisms employed in biotechnologies
- Fundamental logic of biotechnology, cultivation strategies
- Basic operations in biotechnology
- Bioreactors, measurement and regulation
- Modern trends in microbial technologies
- Production of malt and beer
- Production of wine
- Production of alcohols and alcoholic beverages
- Production of vinegar
- Production of lactic acid
- Production of microbial biomass

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. Ing. Stanislav Obruča, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology (ÚCHPBT)

Entry knowledge

Good knowledge of microbiology of yeasts and bacteria including their metabolism, good knowledge of biochemistry. Basic knowledge of cultivation techniques, bioengineering principles of industrial fermentations ( esp. process kinetics, material and energy balance). Basis of sanitation in the fermentation industry.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Students must prepare and successfully defend a credit project in the field of biotechnology. A good knowledge of all the discussed technologies is required for the written test.
Credit: project
Exam: written test

Aims

The aim of the course on Biotechnology I is to give students the main information about the basic principles of biotechnologies, their unit operations and equipment. Biotechnology I contains mainly technologies based on yeast cell – brewing, malting, production of baker´s yeasts and other microbial biomass, production of wine, fermentation production of ethanol and alcoholic beverages.
Acquired knowledge is a basis for process optimization, measurement and process control. Seminar makes link with lectures in terms of integration of knowledge from microbiology, biochemistry, chemical and biochemical engineering.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

M.Moo-Young: Comprehensive Biotechnology, Vol.2 and 3. Pergamon Press 1985. (EN)
Rychtera m., Uher J., Páca J.: Lihovarství, drožďarství a vinařství. VŠCHT Praha 1991. (CS)
V.Krumphanzl a Z. Řeháček: Mikrobiální technologie. Academia, Praha 1987. (CS)

Type of course unit

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Stanislav Obruča, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Introduction to biotechnologies, history of biotechnology, raw materials for microbial biotechnology, microorganisms
2. Fundamental logic of biotechnological processes, up-stream processing, sterilization, basic cultivation strategies, kinetics of microbial processes, down-stream processing
3. Bioreactors and other equipment used in microbial biotechnologies
4. Measurement and regulation in biotechnological processes
5. Production of malt
6. Production of beer
7. Production of alcohols and alcoholic beverages
8. Production of wine
9. Production of acetic acid
10. Production of lactic acid
11. Industrial production of microbial biomass (baker´s yeasts and biomass for special purposes)

Exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Stanislav Obruča, Ph.D.

VUT

Faculties

University Institutes

Parts

Biotechnology I

Type of course unit