Pilot-scale bioreactor for cell cultivation and fermentation
Scale up your cell cultivation and fermentation processes seamlessly with a flexible bioreactor designed for transitioning from bench-scale experiments to pilot-scale production, enabling precise control and optimization of key parameters crucial for developing innovative food products.

Scales Up Cell Cultivation and Fermentation Processes
The GEA Axenic® P from GEA Group is a pilot-scale bioreactor designed to facilitate the transition from laboratory to industrial-scale cell cultivation and fermentation. This versatile bioreactor is equipped with comprehensive data collection and process optimization features, enabling exact control over conditions vital for producing cultivated meat, precision-engineered dairy products, and fungal mycelium. By emulating conditions similar to industrial environments, it allows for seamless upscaling and testing of new food processes.
With a flexible, fully reusable design, the Axenic® P supports a variety of cell types and configurations, incorporating multiple inlets for media and gas delivery. It is semi-automated for integration into existing setups or to function as a standalone unit. Using a virtual modeling system, it predicts cell behavior during scale-up, ensuring process stability and yield. The system emphasizes sustainability and efficiency, utilizing split range control for oxygen delivery and integrating CIP solutions for minimal maintenance downtime. Suitable for diverse industries such as food and pharma, the Axenic® P meets the evolving demands of R&D in alternative protein and new food production.
Benefits
- Facilitates efficient scale-up from lab to industrial production, reducing time-to-market.
- Enhances process stability and yield through precise control of bioreactor conditions.
- Minimizes resource usage with energy-efficient oxygen delivery and sustainable CIP systems.
- Adaptable for a wide range of cell types and configurations, supporting R&D flexibility.
- Streamlines process optimization with virtual modeling, mitigating scale-up risks.
- Applications
- Seafood,Eggs,New foods,Precision-engineered dairy products,Cultivated meat,Alternatives to meat,Dairy,Fungal mycelium
- End products
- Lab-grown beef,Precision-engineered cheese,Synthetic milk,Egg-free mayonnaise,Mushroom-based protein,Plant-based seafood alternatives,Cultured chicken,Plant-based yogurt
- Steps before
- Media Preparation,Inoculation,Strain Selection,Upstream Processing,Nutrient Mixing
- Steps after
- Downstream Processing,Harvesting,Purification,Product Formulation,Packaging
- Input ingredients
- cell cultures,media,oxygen,gases,cultivated meat precursors,dairy product precursors,fungal mycelium cultures,prokaryotic cells,eukaryotic cells
- Output ingredients
- cultivated cells,fermentation products,cultivated meat,engineered dairy products,fungal mycelium,bioprocess insights,upscaled cell cultures
- Market info
- GEA is known for its expertise in engineering innovative and sustainable equipment and solutions, focusing on sectors such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and energy, with a reputation for quality, efficiency, and advanced technological applications in industrial processing.
- Scale
- Pilot-scale
- Automation
- GEA Codex® automation platform
- Data Management
- GEA Codex® Historian
- Tank Conditions Monitoring
- Comprehensive sensor package
- Configuration Flexibility
- Supports various bioreactor configurations
- Oxygen Delivery Control
- Split range control technology
- Agitator Options
- Changeable impellers or bubble column setup
- Connectivity
- Hoses,inlets/outlets for connectivity
- Reusable Components
- Autoclavable,integrated CIP
- Operating Conditions
- Manual adjustments possible
- Bioreactor Structure Control
- Virtual modeling and digital twin technology
- Sustainability Features
- Energy efficiency optimization
- Integration steps
- Media and gas delivery inlets
- Automation level
- GEA Codex® automation platform
- Batch vs. continuous operation
- Batch operation
- CIP/SIP
- Integrated CIP capabilities
- Cleaning method
- Autoclavable parts and integrated CIP
- Energy efficiency
- Split range control technology
- Virtual modeling capabilities
- Digital twin for risk-free modeling
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Swappable components and configurations
- Abrasion resistance
- Yes
- Biological compatibility
- Yes
- Cleanability
- CIP/SIP compatible
- Corrosive resistance (e.g. acids)
- Yes
- Density/particle size
- 0.5–2.5 g/cm³ / 50–1000 µm
- Tank shape and size
- Varies,configurable for specific applications
- Machine footprint
- Compact,adaptable for different setups
- Feed/discharge method
- Multiple inlets for media and gas delivery
- Control panel type
- User-friendly,simple design for manual adjustments
- Agitator type
- Customizable,removable for bubble column use
- CIP integration
- Integrated CIP,features autoclavable parts
- Control panel type
- User-friendly,customizable
- Integration possibilities
- GEA Codex® automation platform
- Component interchangeability
- Swappable components,including autoclavable parts
- System configuration
- Standalone or connected to upstream/downstream equipment
- Agitation customization
- Changeable agitator impellers or bubble column configuration
- Delivery method
- Manual or automated media and ingredient dosing