6. FMS controls

Solid-state fermentation processes are relatively simple to set up, but much more difficult to regulate than those in liquid media. The substrates used, derived from agricultural and agro-industrial by-products, are insoluble, complex and heterogeneous. Often, preparation (e.g. particle size reduction, nutrient supplementation) and pre-treatment (e.g. heating, partial destruction of indigenous flora) are required to transform the "raw" substrate into one that is accessible and usable by micro-organisms.

Depending on the substrate and microorganism used, this transformation stage is adapted to the process and the microorganism's development parameters (temperature, humidity, aeration, pH) are determined. The difficulty then lies in maintaining these optimal conditions, which are dependent on the environment, the equipment used (Erlenmeyer, fermenter), the sampling...