Question

Describe in brief the role of microbes in human welfare.

Answer 1

Microbes are useful to humans in various ways like:

1. In household products

• Lactic acid bacteria grow in milk and convert it to curd.

• Propionibacterium shamanic is used in the preparation of Roquefort cheese.

• Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used in the preparation of bread.

2. In industrial products

• Various antibiotics are produced from microbes like Penicillin notatum is used in the production of antibiotic penicillin.

• Microbes are used to carry out fermentation for the production of alcohol and other beverages.

Yeast is also used in the production of ethanol.

3. As nutritional supplements

• Yeast is used as a source of Vitamin B complex

• Chlorella and Spirulina are used as a source of proteins.

4. In the production of Organic Acids

•Various organic acids like lactic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, kojic acid, gluconic acid are produced from the microbes.

5. In the production of enzymes

• Amylase is produced from Aspergillus oryzae.

• Lipase is produced from Candida lipolytica

• Protease is produced from Bacillus subtilis

•Streptokinase is produced from Streptococcus.