AVAILABILITY OF ESSENTIAL B-GROUP VITAMINS TO LACTOBACILLUS-PLANTARUMIN GREEN OLIVE FERMENTATION BRINES

The availability throughout the traditional Spanish-style green olive fermentation of four vitamins that are essential for the growth of Lac tobacillus plantarum was studied. It was found that nicotinic and pant othenic acids, biotin, and vitamin B-6. were available in the fermenta tion brines within the first few days of the process, and their levels throughout the fermentative process were well above those required by L. plantarum to grow at its maximum growth rate. In laboratory medium , various yeast strains isolated from the fermentations were found to produce these vitamins in amounts several times that required by L. pl antarum. This finding suggests that some yeast species might play a ro le in encouraging the growth of L. plantarum in Spanish-style green ol ive fermentation.