HYDROLYZED WHEY AS A MEDIUM FOR PROPIONIC-ACID FERMENTATION

Whey, hydrolyzed by using pure enzymes and enzymatic preparations, was fermented by propionic acid bacteria in batch cultures. The course of propionic acid fermentation was examined by the determination of cell dry weight, lactose utilization, production of volatile free acids an d biosynthesis of vitamin Bit. The production of propionic acid by Pro pionibacteria increased when hydrolyzed whey was used as a medium. It rose from 6.3 to 6.7 g/l in the control compared to 8.0-8.8 g/l when p epsin, papain, alcalase, or pescalase were applied as hydrolyzing agen ts. A significant decrease in the biosynthesis of vitamin B-12 (more t han 50%) was observed in all cases compared to the control (cultivatio n on medium without hydrolysis).