Designing fermentation media: A comparison of neural networks to factorial design

Summary

Neural networks were compared to factorial experiments as techniques for designing fermentation media. The production of intracellular oil byRhodotorula gracilis (Rhodosporidium toruloides) was used as a model system. Investigating three factors, the molasses, ammonium nitrate and yeast extract concentrations, each at three concentrations, 27 experiments were required for a complete factorial expriment. In contrast, neural networks could be trained on 10 experiments and predict the test experiments with reasonable accuracy. This represents a 63% saving in the number of experiments that need to be conducted. Thus neural networks are a useful tool in developing fermentation medium.