The method describes the cultivation of microorganisms under aerobic conditions.
Laboratories in the beverage industry in general and the brewing industry in particular.
Many microorganisms can only exist or multiply in an atmosphere with sufficient oxygen, i.e. under aerobic conditions.
Surface culture:
To generate sufficient oxygen supply and the associated optimum growth, the microorganisms are spread out on the surface, which is exposed to the air.
Solid culture media:
Particularly high cell number densities can be achieved. Colony growth on the surface creates oxygen and nutrient gradients, which can cause growth to halt in the centre of the colony.
Liquid culture:
With sufficient aeration introduced by shaking, this can also achieve high cell densities (shake culture). In contrast, growth is limited in static cultures without air.
Two-phase culture:
Cultivation technique for high cell densities using an orbital shaker. An aqueous phase is layered onto a solid culture medium at a ratio of 1:10 to 1:4.
Surface culture:
Cultivation technique for aerobic microorganisms that are capable of forming a surface covering, film or slime layer. Due to the oxygen gradient, the static culture is not uniform. Flat-sided flasks or similar culture vessels are used for incubation, which are filled with a 1-3 cm thick layer of medium. Inoculation is preferably carried out on the surface, as far as possible using spores that cannot sink easily.
Submerged culture:
The microorganisms are cultured within a liquid or dispersion. This can be achieved by increasing the oxygen supply of a shallow static culture (0.5-1 cm layer thickness), moving the liquid by shaking or stirring, or directly supplying air to the culture (see liquid culture).
Microaerobic incubation:
This describes the culturing of microorganisms that are inhibited in their growth by the partial pressure of atmospheric oxygen. They thrive in semi-solid culture media in an oxygen gradient of 1-15 % vol (e.g. spot culture). Anaerobic jars can be used for this purpose, using certain reagents that ensure the required oxygen or carbon dioxide concentration (8-10 % vol.).