What is the Purpose of Bioprocessing?

From edible products like kefir, sauerkraut, fruit juice and wine to cutting-edge pharmaceuticals and vaccines, bioprocessing is used across a wide range of industries and sectors. The term describes the science of harnessing the natural properties of living cells and their individual components. For example, many modern drugs are derived from naturally occurring components found in plant and animal cell lines.

The art of bioprocessing

Opiate-based painkillers like morphine and codeine are one of the most common examples of bioprocessing in practice. Papaver somniferum, more commonly known as the poppy plant, is the source of both drugs. The plant produces opium, a powerful depressant that interacts with receptors in the central nervous system to slow down signals between the brain and body. This makes it a highly efficient painkiller.

Opium is made up of dozens of different alkaloids, including codeine and morphine. These naturally occurring organic compounds are designed to regulate plant growth and repel predators. However, from a pharmaceutical perspective they have highly desirable properties. Bioprocessing describes the process of isolating alkaloids like codeine and morphine, extracting them from natural sources or cultivating them in laboratories, then transforming them into useful products.

A step-by-step guide to bioprocessing

Bioprocessing includes the following steps:

1. Sample collection

This involves identifying the living organisms in which the desired product originates. For example, an enzyme called l-asparaginase found in both microorganisms and animals like rodents is used in leukemia therapies.

2. Cultivation

Methods are developed to harvest the desired product on a commercial scale. While some ‘feedstocks’ like poppies are grown as crops, others must be cultivated in laboratories.

3. Cell culturing

If the product is being grown in a laboratory, scientists explore ways to optimise cell culturing conditions and maximise the yield.

4. Harvesting

Also known as recovery, this step involves separating the desired product from the original source.

5. Purification

The isolated product must then be purified to remove contaminants. This is especially important when cultivating products from living cells.

6. Testing and product development

Extensive testing is carried out to ensure the product performs as advertised.

7. Packaging

Packaging the finished product is the final step in the bioprocessing chain.

Bioprocessing stages fall into one of two categories – upstream and downstream. Both play an important role in capturing the natural properties of living cells and their individual components, then transforming them into useful products. Find out more about each category in ‘What is Bioprocessing? Guide to Upstream & Downstream’.