IMPROVEMENT IN HYDROGEN PRODUCTIVITY BY A LEAVENING BACTERIUM, ENTEROBACTER-CLOACAE GAG, AND ITS APPLICATION TO MANTOU

Enterobacter cloacae GAG, a bacterium isolated from water in which apples have been steeped, is also found in traditional fermented wheat foods, One important characteristic of this bacterium is that it produces hydrogen gas during inflation as these foods are being prepared, The effects of various nutrient sources and culture conditions on the production of hydrogen gas by the bacterium were examined for the improvement of these traditional foods, Glucose was found to be an effective carbon source and casamino acids were found to be effective nitrogen sources, E. cloacae GAO was used to make mantou. When wheat flour with casamino acids was used to make mantou, a better internal structure and taste were obtained.