Continuous aminoacid prodn. by aerobic fermentation - using adsorbed bacteria e.g. corynebacterium glutamicum to give valine, lysine and threonine

Prodn. of aminoacids, pref. by a continuous process, comprises the use of at least one aminoacid producing bacterial strain in combination with a nutritative medium or appropriate fermentation contg. the necessary sources, such as assimilable carbon, organic nitrogen and mineral salts, is effected under aerobic conditions and is characterised in that the following stages are effected so as to increase the productivity and yield of the bacterial strain for producing aminoacids, with prodn. and regeneration of cofactors necessary for the reaction:- (a) the living cells of the bacterial strain are adsorbed on an appropriate porous support, placed in at least one reaction zone for fixing them onto the support, while conserving the living biomass; (b) the reaction zone is fed continuously with fermentation medium, while maintaining it at a suitable reaction temperature (pref. 15-60 deg.C. esp. 30-40 deg.C.), under suitable aeration to ensure the necessary oxygen supply. (c) fermented medium is continuously withdrawn after having passed through the reaction zone and (d) the withdrawn medium is extracted so as to recover the produced amino-acid. Continuous prodn. of aminoacids with improved productivity and yields is achieved. e.g. a typical batch process yields 40 g/l of aminoacid, after 80 hrs fermentation of a medium contg. 120 g/l of carbohydrates; known continuous processes yield 5 g/l of aminoacid, with 25 g/l of biomass after 30 hrs fermentation using 90 g/l of carbohydrate; whereas the present process yields 10 g/l of aminoacid, with a biomass of only 5 g/l and reaction time of 8 hrs using 90 g/l of carbohydrate. Examples for the prodn. of valine give the above results, other examples describe the prodn. of lysine and threonine. L'INVENTION CONCERNE UN PROCEDE DE PRODUCTION D'AMINOACIDES PAR EMPLOI D'UNE SOUCHE BACTERIENNE SELECTIONNEE ADSORBEE SUR UN SUPPORT POREUX ET LES AMINOACIDES OBTENUS PAR LEDIT PROCEDE.SELON CE PROCEDE, ON ADSORBE LES CELLULES VIVANTES DE SOUCHE BACTERIENNE SUR UN SUPPORT POREUX APPROPRIE 14 DISPOSE DANS AU MOINS UNE ZONE REACTIONNELLE 10 EN INTRODUISANT UN MILIEU DE FERMENTATION INOCULE DE LA SOUCHE PAR LE MOYEN 16 PUIS PAR ALIMENTATION AVEC LE MILIEU DE FERMENTATION NON INOCULE EN CONTROLANT LA TEMPERATURE DANS LA ZONE REACTIONNELLE 10 A L'AIDE DE MOYENS 24. LA TEMPERATURE DANS LA ZONE REACTIONNELLE EST DE PREFERENCE MAINTENUE ENTRE 15 ET 60C TANDIS QU'UNE AERATION CONVENABLE EST REALISEE POUR ASSURER LA FOURNITURE DE L'OXYGENE