Progress in monitoring, modeling and control of bioprocesses during the last 20 years

The paper gives a review on the recent development of bioprocess engineerin g. It includes monitoring of product formation processes by flow injection analysis, Various types of chromatographic and spectroscopic methods as wel l as by biosensors. The evaluation of mycelial morphology and physiology by digital image analysis is discussed also. It deals with advanced control o f indirectly evaluated process variables by means of state estimation/obser ver, with the use of structured and hybrid models, expert systems and patte rn recognition for process optimization and gives a short report on the sta te of the art of metabolic flux analysis and metabolic engineering. (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.