EFFICIENCY OF LACTIC-ACID PRODUCTION BY LACTOBACILLUS-HELVETICUS IN A MEMBRANE CELL RECYCLE REACTOR

An economic evaluation is presented of lactic acid production in a membrane cell recycle reactor. From this evaluation it is concluded that the economic feasibility of the process is primarily limited by production capacity and product concentration and to a lesser extent by productivity. In membrane cell recycle reactor experiments and batch cultivation experiments with Lactobacillus helveticus, it is shown that the economic feasibility of the process using this organism is limited by organic acid inhibition resulting in energy uncoupling of anabolism and catabolism. Due to this inhibition, the maximum lactic acid concentration that can be obtained in the membrane reactor process is 50 g l(-1). Furthermore it is shown that not only the fermentative conversion of lactose into lactic acid but also the hydrolysis of lactose into glucose and galactose is an important process. The beta-galactosidase activity needed for the hydrolysis is generated during the exponential growth phase of Lb. helveticus.