Profile: BASF Corporation portfolio comprises of chemicals, plastics, performance products, functional & agricultural solutions. We specialize in nutrition, agriculture, fine chemicals, and biobased plastics. Our white biotechnology uses microorganisms and enzymes to produce chemical products. Biocatalysis is an important subspecialty of white biotechnology. They are used primarily to produce chiral intermediates required for the production of medicines and crop protectants. We have produced vitamin B2 by fermentation using the fungus Ashbya gossypii. This fungus has enzymes with which it can produce vitamin B2. We use special sterile agitated tanks called fermenters for vitamin B2 production. A culture of Ashbya gossypii is placed in the fermenters along with various nutrients, such as vegetable oil & the temperature is set to the optimum growth temperature for the fungus.