Carbon dioxide production by Leuconostoc mesenteroides grown in single and mixed culture with Lactococcus lactis in skimmed milk.

Abstract

cremoris. During the fermentation of milk by LeuconostocLactic acid bacteria are now used extensively as and aroma of the fermented product but also on thestarter cultures in the dairy industry and therefore the texture of blue cheese. optimization of growth conditions appears to be essential The shift in metabolic pathways in response tofor successful industrial applications. Furthermore, environmental conditions is well documented in thestudying the effects of some environmental parameters on literature in the case of homofermentative species [13],growth kinetics should provide useful information but little information is available about the behavior ofconcerning the physiology of the microorganisms [1-3]. heterofermentative species such asLeuconostocStrains belonging to the speciesLactococcus lactis and mesenteroides. The quantitative aspects and kinetics ofLeuconostoc sp. are the most important organism in the evolved CO in mixed culture ofLeuconostoc-manufacture of these products at a moderate temperatureLactococcus under different culturing conditions have[4]. Mixed cultures of these bacteria are commonly used been fairly studied [14]. In point of view of the recentas a starter in manufacture of cheese and fermented milk report demonstrating the importance of evolved COto the texture of dairy products, a study of this matterstarter cultures that have been selected for their seemed appropriate. performance during milk fermentation and product The present study was undertaken to determineformation. whether Leuconostocmesenteroides plays a role inLeuconostoc strains grow associatively with acid carbon dioxide production in pure and mixed cultureproducing Lactococcus strains and are employed for their with Lactococcus lactis in milk.technological properties (mainly aroma and texture). Theassociative growth between these two groups of bacteria