FERMENTATIVE PRODUCTION OF L-LACTIC ACID BY LACTOBACILLUS-CASEI DSM-20011 AND PRODUCT RECOVERY USING ION-EXCHANGE RESINS

In order to produce L(+)-lactic acid to be employed in poly-L-lactic acid polymer production, for biomedical applications, the strain Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei DSM 20011 was studied in a conventional batch mode using different initial concentrations of glucose. The results obtained showed that the initial glucose concentration exerts an influence on the fermentation pattern, modifying the different fermentation parameters. Nevertheless, the product yield remained at a constant value of 0.86 g.g-1. The proposed novel system of product recovery, based on the use of ion-exchange resins, gave high yields of pure lactic acid.