INDUSTRIALIZATION OF TRADITIONAL FERMENTATION

Traditional fermentation industries have somehow always been considered as small cottage backyard industries carried out at small scale and fulfilling the needs and demands of the local areas. Sadly. this mindset have been existing undisturbed for decades. What most forget is that the huge mega industrial fermentation industries in fact have its roots and origins from the traditional small scale fermentation industries. In fact we can look at each small traditional fermentation industries as having potential to develop into mega industries if investors dare take the gamble to exploit the traditional industries and transform it ultimately into million dollars industries. And rationally there is no reason why this cannot be achieved.

Maybe it is not feasible or practical when only one individual is thinking of doint it from the point of capital, technical and marketing support. But just imagine when the number of individuals is united in a concerted effort to pool their resources then nothing becomes impossible. After all large mega industries started small...
Wasnt it Ford who discovered the automobile and Wright who started the aviation industries? Even Kentucky fried chicken and McDonald started small??

Its more about the willingness to start and facing the slight risks and gambles.

The advantage of small fermentation industries is that they have diversity ot products not bound by the rigidity and standards of major players which is so engrossed with standards and consistency of products that they failed to be more creative and exploit new tastes....



The few important components of attempting to upgrade or industrialize the traditional fermentation industries are:
1 Improving the hardware of the fermentation by improving the size and quality of the fermentors and downstream vessels and equipments
2 Finding the rate limiting steps in the traditional fermentation process and improving it
3 Increasing the scientific and technological understanding and know how so as to improve the traditional fermentation industries
4 Combining the individuals involved into clusters so bigger fermentation industries can be carried out and pooling of common resources
5 Improving the GMP aspects of the fermentation production
6 Appointing consultants to carry out technical and marketing aspects of the fermentation industries
7 Try to improve the R&D of the process especially with respect to improving the shelf life of products, pacjaging and quality of products