FERMENTATIVE PRODUCTION OF L-LACTIC ACID BY LACTOBACILLUS-CASEI DSM-20011 AND PRODUCT RECOVERY USING ION-EXCHANGE RESINS

In order to produce L(+)-lactic acid to be employed in poly-L-lactic a cid polymer production, for biomedical applications, the strain Lactob acillus casei subsp. casei DSM 20011 was studied in a conventional bat ch mode using different initial concentrations of glucose. The results obtained showed that the initial glucose concentration exerts an infl uence on the fermentation pattern, modifying the different fermentatio n parameters. Nevertheless, the product yield remained at a constant v alue of 0.86 g.g-1. The proposed novel system of product recovery, bas ed on the use of ion-exchange resins, gave high yields of pure lactic acid.