What is the Fermentation Chamber Used For?

In everyday life we ​​are surrounded by fermented foods.

For testing batteries and accumulators, discover the battery test chamber, designed for testing under controlled conditions.

In the production of alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer, much attention is paid to the fermentation process, which also applies to other foods such as yogurt, bread and derivatives.

But what is fermentation and what is a fermentation chamber used for?

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What is fermentation?

Fermentation is a fundamental biological process that occurs when microorganisms, such as yeast or bacteria, act on substances such as sugar, transforming it into other substances. 

From the point of view of the microorganisms involved , it is a survival strategy, while from our point of view it is an invaluable phenomenon that, since the dawn of time, has allowed us to obtain particular foods from raw materials.

For example, the alcoholic fermentation involved in wine production affects the sugars present in the grape must. Yeasts added to the grape must begin to consume the sugars present in the grapes, and this chemical reaction produces ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. Alcohol gives wine its characteristic flavor and aroma. 

However, fermentation does not occur in a vacuum and instead requires specific environmental parameters to occur, which is where laboratory tools such as the fermentation chamber come into play.

Learn more: Discover our CO2 test chamber for fermentation processes, designed and manufactured by FDM Environment Makers.

What is the Fermentation Chamber?

The fermentation chamber is a laboratory instrument consisting of a compartment isolated from the outside within which it is possible to alter certain environmental parameters, such as temperature, relative humidity and air circulation.

The fermentation chamber is therefore part of the larger family of climatic chambers, that is, all those laboratory instruments that allow the environmental conditions inside them to be modified and controlled for the most diverse purposes.

Many of these chambers are used for testing products or materials, others such as growth chambers or fermentation chambers are used to produce certain atmospheric conditions in order to alter the biological processes of the samples placed inside.

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What is the Fermentation Chamber Used For?

Let's get to the point: what is a fermentation chamber used for?

As we mentioned, fermentation requires very precise temperature and humidity values ​​to occur, and not all fermentations are the same.

For example, most wines ferment between 15° and 30°C, while beer has a narrower range, between 18° and 24°C, and the lactic fermentation of yogurt occurs between 43-46°C. 

The fermentation chamber allows for absolute control over environmental parameters, enabling rapid and precise fermentations, especially selected by scrupulous producers who want to achieve a precise profile.

The FDM Growth Chamber

FDM – Environmental Makers has been a leading company in the climate chamber sector for over 70 years. 

In particular, our growth chambers specialize in culturing and propagating bacteria and other microorganisms which, as we have seen, perform the fundamental function of the fermentation process.

Furthermore, inside our growth chambers, it is possible to alter the temperature and relative humidity values ​​at will, as well as install lighting systems that reproduce various intensities of sunlight, which are crucial for the growth of certain organisms.

For any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Reference Standards

• ISO 22000 — Food safety management systems: requirements for organizations in the food supply chain, applicable to controlled industrial fermentations.
• Codex Alimentarius CXS 1-1985 — General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods, reference for the labelling of fermented products.
• EHEDG Doc 8 — Hygienic design of closed equipment for the processing of liquid food, European guidelines for hygienic fermentation equipment.
• IFS Food v8 — International Featured Standard for food safety, requires documented controls on fermentations.
• BRC Global Standard for Food Safety v9 — Private UK standard adopted globally for large-scale retail and food manufacturing.
• EN 1672-2 — Food processing machinery: basic concepts, hygiene requirements for plant design.

Authoritative Sources

• ISO – International Organization for Standardization. Publishes ISO 22000 and related series for food safety management.
• Codex Alimentarius FAO/WHO. International reference for harmonized food standards.
• EHEDG – European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group. European technical body for hygienic design food equipment.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Fermentation Chamber

Lactic, alcoholic, and acetic fermentation: how do they differ?

The three main fermentations differ in terms of microorganisms, substrates, final products, and operating conditions. Lactic fermentation by Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Leuconostoc: converts glucose into lactic acid (homofermentative) or lactic acid + CO2 + ethanol (heterofermentative). Applications: yogurt (42-45°C, 4-6 hours, final pH 4.5), cheese (30-38°C, 2-8 hours, pH 5.0-5.5), sauerkraut (18-22°C, 2-4 weeks), fermented cured meats (18-25°C, 24-72 hours). Alcoholic fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. bayanus, and Pichia: converts glucose into ethanol + CO2. Applications: wine (22-28 C reds, 16-20 C whites, 7-15 days), beer (18-24 C ale / 8-12 C lager, 7-14 days), bread (25-32 C, 1-3 h). Acetic fermentation by Acetobacter aceti, Gluconobacter: oxidizes ethanol to acetic acid requiring O2. Applications: vinegar (28-32 C, 7-30 days), kombucha (22-28 C, 7-14 days). Each type requires a chamber with T control +/- 0.5 C, RH , continuous pH-monitoring, and possible CO2 management.

How do you control T, pH, RH?

Multi-parameter control of an industrial fermentation requires separate loops. Temperature: four-wire Class A Pt100 sensor with direct insertion into the fermenting mass, PID feedback on thermostatic glycol jacket (-10 / +90 C) or internal exchanger. Uniformity +/- 0.3 C required in fermenters with agitation, +/- 1 C in static fermentations (sauerkraut, raw meats). pH: sterilizable glass electrode (Mettler InPro 3250) with Pt1000 probe for temperature compensation, periodic calibration with pH 4.0 and 7.0 buffers, typical drift 0.05/month. Continuous monitoring to identify acidification phases, evaluate metabolic rate, define stop points. Humidity: critical for solid fermentations (cured meats, cheeses, noble molds) – capacitive sensors +/- 2% RH, management with steam/ultrasonic humidifier and compression dehumidifier. For PDO cured meats, the specifications require variable T/RH : drying 18-22 C / 80-85% RH, maturing 12-16 C / 75-80% RH for 3-18 months.

HACCP and fermentation validation?

The HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) system according to Codex Alimentarius requires identification of CCPs (Critical Control Points) in the fermentation process. For yogurt: (1) milk pasteurization 95 C/5 min as thermal CCP; (2) starter inoculation LB+ST validated for acidifying capacity; (3) fermentation 43 C with target pH 4.6 as micro CCP; (4) rapid cooling 4 C CCP bacterial barrier. The scientific validation of the process includes: microbiological challenge test with deliberate inoculation of pathogens (Listeria 10^4 CFU/g, Salmonella 10^3 CFU/g), monitoring reduction during fermentation, documentation of log reduction >= 5 for acidophobic pathogens. For products with final pH < 4.6 and aw < 0.92 the barrier is considered sufficient to prevent Clostridium botulinum. The fermentation chamber must have: continuous T/pH/RH with 21 CFR Part 11 audit trail, multi-threshold alarms, validated CIP (Cleaning In Place) with Reynolds turbulence > 20000, sterilization with saturated steam 121 C / 20 min for non-CIP surfaces. recording

Scale-up from pilot to industrial?

Scale -up from pilot fermenter (1-100 L) to industrial (10,000-200,000 L) is critical for technology transfer. Main strategies: (1) Scale-up to constant kLa (oxygen transfer coefficient) for aerobic fermentations, maintaining aeration and agitation to ensure OUR >= OTR at all scales; (2) Scale-up to constant mixing time t_mix for fermentations sensitive to pH/substrate gradients; (3) Scale-up to constant power-per-volume (P/V) for cost-performance balance; (4) Scale-up to constant impeller tip speed to preserve fragile cell integrity (fungal hyphae, animal cultures). Other challenges: metabolic heat management (alcoholic fermentation releases 160 kJ/mol ethanol, industrial cooling requires 5-10% of the volume as exchange surface), foam control with food-grade anti-foaming agents, contamination prevention with sterile-by-design systems. CPV requires batch performance tracking for >= 30-50 batches with statistical process control Shewhart charts, CpK >= 1.33 for critical CQAs parameters.