UTILIZATION OF CHEESE WHEY FOR PRODUCING GLUCONIC ACID AS A MEAN FOR POLLUTION-CONTROL

Cheese whey was used to produce gluconic acid as a mean for controllin g environmental pollution. The deproteinized hydrolyzed whey was ferme nted using Gluconobacter oxydans ATCC 621 H, and the effect of differe nt levels of pH on gluconic acid production was studied. The rate of g luconic acid production reached the maximum (24.8 mg/100 mi) at pH 6 a fter 48 h of fermentation. The effect of incubation temperature on the production of gluconic acid at pH 6.0 revealed that the maximum conce ntration of gluconic acid (1202.5 mg/100 mi) was obtained at 28 degree s C after 48 h of fermentation.