Rheology of the Fermentation Broth
The rheology of the fermentation fluid during gellan gum production exhibits strongly pseudoplastic behaviour, even at 0.1 % (by mass per volume).
The initial broth viscosity is that of Newtonian fluid with a viscosity close to that of water, but the broth rapidly becomes non-Newtonian with strong shear thinning properties.
This pseudoplastic behaviour during the exopolysaccharide accumulation phase is also common in the production of other microbial polymers and described by power law model:
This pseudoplastic behaviour during the exopolysaccharide accumulation phase is also common in the production of other microbial polymers and described by power law model:
· h = t/g = kg n–1