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The production of L(+) and D(−) lactic acid in cultures of some lactic acid bacteria, with a special study of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCDO 2

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2009

Ellen I. Garvie
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading

Summary

A study of the production of L(+) and D(−) lactic acid in cultures of DL forming lactic acid bacteria has shown that they can be divided into 2 groups. The first includes the thermobacteria and Pediococcus cerevisiae in which the percentage of L(+) lactic acid is high initially but decreases as the cultures grow. The second includes Lactobacillus plantarum and the heterofermentative lactobacilli and in cultures of these species the percentage of L(+) acid changes little during growth and is generally below 50% of the total.

In a strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus it has been found that if the pH is kept constant during growth the proportion of L(+) lactic acid decreased. However, when acid production stopped the proportion of total acid which is the L(+) isomer is greater than the proportion at the same stage of development in cultures where the pH was not adjusted. Cells harvested from young cultures formed more L(+) acid than cells harvested from older cultures.

There is some evidence that the composition of the medium can affect the ratio of L(+):D(−) lactic acid.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 1967

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References

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