Penicillin production: biotechnology at its best.

A brief description is given of the history of penicillin production in the Netherlands. The development of today's penicillin production technology is analysed in terms of changes in the quality and intensity of the production process. Technological as well as genetical developments are shown to be of influence on the quality and the intensity of the production process. The analysis is illustrated by a brief description of the productivity improvement of the penicillin fermentation as it occurred at Gist-brocades during the past 20 years.