In this work, the process of capsular polysaccharide production by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C was studied. Batch experimental runs were conducted in a set of one-liter bioreactors with 0.5 L of Frantz cultivation medium. Cultivation temperature and pH were controlled at optimal pre-established values. The dynamic behavior of the bacteria was analyzed based on biomass growth, glucose uptake, polysaccharide production and dissolved oxygen time profile obtained in a set of experimental runs with initial concentrations of glucose that varied from 5 to 13.5 g/L. Formulated hypotheses were then employed in the construction of a phenomenological model of the bioprocess under study that successfully described the dynamic behavior of the system and can be used in future control and optimization of the industrial process of capsular polysaccharide production.

The optimization problem of a fed-batch alcoholic fermentation by Zymomonas mobilis, solved using Pontryagin's maximum principle and the singular control theory, is used to discuss the main challenges that usually arise during the implementation of optimal strategies. For each problem a practical solution is proposed. In order to solve the optimization problem, a hybrid neural model is developed using experimental data from batch and fed-batch fermentations. The calculated optimal solution is experimentally implemented in open-loop scheme.