Penicillin production in corn steep media with continuous carbohydrate addition.

The work reported here presents the results of an investigation into the replacement of lactose by glucose or by sucrose in a corn steep liquor medium for the production of penicillin. Previous work has established (Johnson, 1946) that glucose and sucrose are metabolized by Penicillium chrysogenum at a more rapid rate than is lactose. Also, it has been shown that a maximum rate of penicillin production is obtained under fermentation conditions which support a slow rate of growth, such as those of the conventional lactose fermentation. In order to approximate those conditions when glucose or sucrose was used as a carbohydrate source, these sugars were fed at rates chosen so as to restrict their utilization. The optimum feed rate of each sugar for penicillin production was then determined. This work was done exclusively in 30-liter stirred and aerated stainless steel fermentors. Work of a similar nature employing a synthetic medium has been repoxted elsewhere (Hosler and Johnson, 1953).