FERMENTATION OF RADIOLABELED CARBOHYDRATES BY A RECONSTRUCTED CONTINUOUS-FLOW CULTURE EFFECTIVE AGAINST SALMONELLA IN BROILER CHICKS

An 81-d-old continuous-flow (CF) culture of broiler cecal bacteria was maintained in a lactose-based broth. The culture had been previously proven effective against Salmonella colonization in young chicks, espe cially when the chicks were provided dietary lactose. Portions of the CF culture were batch-cultured in glucose- and lactose-based broths co ntaining C-14-labeled lactose, glucose, galactose, or lactic acid to d etermine the effect of media carbohydrate on fermentation products. Ac etic and propionic acids were the major C-14-labeled fermentation prod ucts. C-14-Carbohydrates were fermented to lactic acid and then to ace tic and propionic acids. Distribution of radiolabeled fermentation pro ducts was effected by the broth carbohydrate and the time postinoculat ion.