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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #104762
Title: EFFECT OF PURE SUGARS AND SUGAR MIXTURES ON LACTIC ACID FERMENTATION IN VARIOUS LACTOBACILLUS CULTURES

Author
item SREENATH, HASSAN - UNIV OF WISCONSIN MADISON
item Koegel, Richard
item MOLDES, ANA - UNIV OF WISCONSIN MADISON
item STRAUB, RICHARD - UNIV OF WISCONSIN MADISON

Submitted to: Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: There is a renewed interest in Lactobacilli for the production of polylactides. Enzymatic saccharification of cellulosic and hemicellulosic biomass is an important prerequisite for lactic acid bioconversion. Cellobiose, glucose, xylose and arabinose are the main sugars obtained during biomass saccharification. In the lactic acid fermentation, assimilation of pentoses is equally important to the assimilation of hexoses. This study examined the physiology of lactic acid production in various Lactobacillus cultures in relation to assimilation of pure pentoses and hexoses and their mixtures during fermentation. Lactobacillus delbrueckii consumed glucose at a faster rate than cellobiose, but did not consume xylose and arabinose. L. plantarum consumed cellobiose slightly faster than glucose and consumed arabinose faster than xylose. L. xylosus consumed glucose completely but did not consume cellobiose and consumed arabinose faster than xylose. L. pentoaceticus consumed glucose, xylose, cellobiose, and arabinose at lower rates and produced more acetic acid than other lactic cultures during lactic acid fermentation. This study examined rates and yields of lactic acid produced from various sugars and sugar mixtures by Lactobacillus cultures. We found that more lactic acid was produced in L. plantarum than in other Lactobacillus cultures.