Question

Why the shake flask is not continuously preferred?

(a) Because of resistant to growth

(b) Because of increase rate of contamination

(c) Because of imprecise control of temperature

(d) Because of unlimited stirring

The question was asked by my college professor while I was bunking the class.

This is a very interesting question from Steps in Bioprocess Development : A Typical New Product from Recombinant DNA topic in chapter Bioprocess Development of Bioprocess Engineering

Answer 1

Correct answer is (c) Because of imprecise control of temperature

Easy explanation: Shake flasks are usually subject to media evaporative loss in warmer culture environments, typically 10% of volume per 24 hr at 37°C. This loss changes the density of the culture and prohibits longer term operation of the system and also the temperature control is absent or limited.