INVESTIGATION OF CATALASE ACTIVITY OF STA PHYLOCOCCUS-CARNOSUS

In order to determine culture conditions which optimize technologicall y important properties of a starter culture parameters were investigat ed, which influence catalase activity of Staphylococcus carnosus, both with resting and growing cells. Alterations in the pH-value between 4 .8 and 7.0 and the reduction of water activity down to 0.94 did not in fluence activity. A temperature rise led to a rise of catalase activit y, from which a Q(10)-value of 1.6 could be calculated. Maximum activi ty of growing cells was reached in the late log-phase. Adding 0.1 % of potassium nitrate to the culture medium did not influence activity. A comparison of aerobic and anaerobic culture conditions showed an indu ction of catalase activity by oxygen. Glucose, too, had a regulatory e ffect on the catalase activity of growing cells; adding glucose to a p H-static culture led to a repression of catalase activity.