WE PRESENT:

BACILLUS SUBTILIS

Why this bacterium has more than deserved the title “Microbe of the Year” in 2023

THE MICROBE IN FIGURES

1835
was the year Bacillus subtilis was discovered by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg.

0,6 micrometer
is the width of this bacterium, which is two to three micrometers long.

30 to 39 degrees Celsius
is the temperature range for its optimal growth.



ADAPTABILITY
Suitable for many applications, from probiotics to concrete



HEAT RESISTANCE
Robustly resistant to heat treatment of animal feed



ACID RESISTANCE
Resistant to the low pH of gastric fluid

SPECIAL MERITS

Better animal health
Bacillus subtilis displays its strengths in probiotics for animal feed such as GUTCARE, for example. There it supports the gut health of farmed animals, providing a sustainable alternative to the use of antibiotics.

Sustainable cleaning
Enzymes produced by this microbe are used in cleaning materials. Here they help to clean dirt from surfaces in a sustainable process.

Self-healing concrete
The microbe helps the construction material concrete to automatically fill in cracks. It demonstrates this capability in the product SITREN Selfheal.

Natural crop protection
Bacillus subtilis is used in agriculture as a component of biostimulants. The microbe repels pathogens and supports plant growth.

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THE AWARD
The “Microbe of the Year” award is granted by the Association for General and Applied Microbiology. It presented this award for the tenth time in 2023.

Text: Paulina Schneider
Photos: Evonik
Illustration: Dirk Schmidt

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A self-healing construction material

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Animal nutrition

A Close Look

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