DESCRIPTION OF A STARTER CULTURE PREPARATION FOR VINEGAR FERMENTATION

A starter preparation was produced of an acetic acid bacterium species isolated from a running industrial acetator. The organism was grown i n a medium (RAE-medium) enriched in nutrients and supplemented with 2% vol ethanol. Frozen and lyophilised preparations were obtained with r ecoveries of viable cells of 100% and 10%, respecitvely. The inoculati on of an acetator with a starter required the following steps: revital isation in RAE-medium containing 1 or 2% aceticacid and 2 or 3% vol et hanol, respectively, and starting the acetator run with a mash of redu ced acetate and ethanol concentration, e.g. 3.5% acetic acid and 3.5% vol ethanol. To achieve full productivity the procedure requires ca 2 days. The lyophilised preparation was shown to keep its quality as sta rter for 13/4 years. In a 10 1-pilot-acetator an average productivity was achieved of 3.8% acetic acid in 24 h at a ''total concentration'' of 11.8%. Changes in properties important for industrial use have not been detected.