EFFECT OF PRODUCT INHIBITION ON LACTIC-ACID FERMENTATION - SIMULATIONAND MODELING

A mathematical model has been developed by performing a non-linear reg ression analysis to simulate the fermentation process of glucose to la ctic acid by considering the product-inhibition situation and substrat e requirement for cell maintenance. To account for such an effect a to xic power (n) and a cell-maintenance factor (m) have been incorporated into the model. In the present study the order of inhibition was calc ulated to be 0.88. Moreover, a small value for the cell maintenance fa ctor (m) indicates that the effect of this parameter on the lactic aci d fermentation is not appreciable and hence can be neglected.