Effect of β-Glucan from Microorganism on Lactic Acid Bacteria Growth and Lactic Acid Fermentation

Abstract

The effect of β-glucan, a kind of extracellular water-soluble polysaccharide produced by the yeast-like fungus Aureobacidium pullulans ATCC 20524, on the growth of Lactobacillus deldrueckii subsp, bulgaricus B-5 b and the lactic acid fermentation in skim milk culture media was examined. It was found that β-glucan remarkably reduced the time for bacterial lag phase, stimulated the bacterial growth and promoted the lactic acid fermentation during logarithmic growth phase period in the skim milk culture media at 37°C. Above effect had positive relationship with increase in the amount of added β-glucan in skim milk culture media, and this effect got more striking in the presence of high amounts of β-glucan.