Foam fractionation methods in aerobic fermentation processes

Inherently occurring foam formation during aerobic fermentation of surface-active compounds can be exploited by fractionating the foam. This also serves as the first downstream processing step for product concentration and is used for in situ product recovery. Compared to other foam prevention methods, it does not interfere with fermentation parameters or alter broth composition. Nevertheless, parameters affecting the foaming behavior are complex. Therefore, the specific foam fractionation designs need to be engineered for each fermentation individually. This still hinders a widespread industrial application. However, few available commercial approaches demonstrate the applicability of foam columns on an industrial scale. This systematic literature review highlights relevant design aspects and process demands that need to be considered for an application to fermentations and proposes a classification of foam fractionation designs and methods. It further analyses substance-specific characteristics associated with foam fractionation. Finally, solutions for current challenges are presented, and future perspectives are discussed.