How do they make bottled bacteria?

[Dan_P]

Thanks for pointing this out! Can you explain how taking a sample with gloves breaks sterility? This is interesting to me.

They might have worn gloves, but they opened the reactor hatch, exposing the batch to the air, leaned over the hatch (hair , skin and dust contamination) and, dunked in a large beaker (I am guessing it was not sterilized). The gloves are protection for the technician, not preservation of batch sterility.

 

[hart24601]

They might have worn gloves, but they opened the reactor hatch, exposing the batch to the air, leaned over the hatch (hair , skin and dust contamination) and, dunked in a large beaker (I am guessing it was not sterilized). The gloves are protection for the technician, not preservation of batch sterility.

Spot on. I worked with bioreactors and vaccines for Pfizer a couple years. We had to suit up in full single use body suits to keep things sterile and then bleach the ceiling walls and floors when a fermentation was underway every morning. We also had to take sample of our suits, the walls, and floors every day and see if any organisms grew. If so the batch was tossed even if the final product tested ok. There was also continuous air sampling again for any microorganisms.

It was a terrible job. Very demanding to produce. I would imagine many places just contract a 3rd party that does similar work to grow their bacteria.

The bioreactors are gigantic and complex as well with each fitting having steam ports. Even 100L reactors need a couple stories and a large room. Getting into 1000 and 10k can become a factory operation.

Of course depending on requirements less involved setups can be used - such as for this use or farm innocents for silage. The level of purity is quite different than what’s needed for injection.

Edit: added some old photos during tear down. Notice unlike the video it’s not just lab coats. We had to shower, change into scrubs, then put that all over it. Double gloves with 1st set taped closed to the clean suit before adding another pair over.

 

[Flame2hawk]

So if shipped un refrigerated, it’s no longer effective? I’ve gotten shipments where the cold pack was in an envelope or regular cardboard box. The bottle was not cold to the touch when retrieved. Seemed to still work well but dont really know if it was as effective as it would have been if stored properly…..

 

[taricha]

So if shipped un refrigerated, it’s no longer effective? I’ve gotten shipments where the cold pack was in an envelope or regular cardboard box. The bottle was not cold to the touch when retrieved. Seemed to still work well but dont really know if it was as effective as it would have been if stored properly…..

The culture is bottled very dense. The cold slows degradation. It still works if not cold, just loses effectiveness faster.

 

[Garf]

From what I gather, the've found terrestrial bacteria growing on moon rock samples in the most sterile conditions on earth. The stuff gets everywhere.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Thanks for pointing this out! Can you explain how taking a sample with gloves breaks sterility? This is interesting to me.

That area is simply not sterile and has no means to be sterile. There are clues everywhere, but the simple lack of sterile masks, overshoes, open hair, a pallet of material in the corner of the shot, etc. is enough.

 

[BeanAnimal]

welp - Dan beat me to it. So anyway.

 

[CHSUB]

Can’t imagine wasting money on this “stuff”, but if it is real why would it need to be kept cold? Not cold in my tank…lol!

 

[taricha]

Can’t imagine wasting money on this “stuff”, but if it is real why would it need to be kept cold? Not cold in my tank…lol!

I wonder if you own a refrigerator... and if you ever use it to preserve food you eat hot.
No reason. Just wondering.

 

[CHSUB]

I wonder if you own a refrigerator... and if you ever use it to preserve food you eat hot.
No reason. Just wondering.

I preserve food because I don’t want bacteria on it…

 

[BeanAnimal]

Can’t imagine wasting money on this “stuff”, but if it is real why would it need to be kept cold? Not cold in my tank…lol!

It has no food source in storage and its metabolism slows down in the cold. Once in your tank, there is ample food.

 

[Miami Reef]

That area is simply not sterile and has no means to be sterile. There are clues everywhere, but the simple lack of sterile masks, overshoes, open hair, a pallet of material in the corner of the shot, etc. is enough.

Thank you. I now realize how completely off-base I was when I assumed they worked “clean” and “sterile.”

Thanks for teaching me, guys. I really appreciate learning this.

 

[Big E]

Let’s use Fritz Turbo Start 9 as an example, since @taricha tested and confirmed it contains nitrifying bacteria…

How do they culture such a large amount to sell bottles to the masses? What’s the process like, and how do they transfer the bacteria into bottles? Do they use culture tanks? How do they do it? Do you feed or dose ammonia?

Can a person by a bottle of Fritz and make an unlimited amount from that starting culture?


I’ve wondered this for SO long.

Keep on keepin on.......you do a great job of bringing up interesting and informative topics.

 

[Miami Reef]

Keep on keepin on.......you do a great job of bringing up interesting and informative topics.

Thank you, Ed. :)