2010 Volume 16 Issue 5 Pages 431-436
The effects of sweet potato-shochu distillery by-product on growth of Bifidobacterium in milk were examined to consider its potential use as a food ingredient. Addition of sweet potato-shochu distillery wastewater to 10% skimmed milk powder medium enhanced organic acid production and the numbers of Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12, while increasing its concentration. The low molecular fraction (< 1 kDa) from sweet potato-shochu distillery wastewater had a growth-stimulating effect on Bifidobacterium. The low molecular fraction was separated by gel permeation chromatography to yield the O-1 fraction, whose main component was oligosaccharides consisting of glucose, galactose and uronic acids, and the P-1 fraction whose main component was heterogeneous peptides. A combination of the O-1 and P-1 fractions significantly stimulated growth of Bifidobacterium, although the individual fractions had no effect on Bifidobacterium growth. Of the 10 Bifidobacterium species tested, the sweet potato-shochu distillation wastewater stimulated the growth of Bifidobacterium lactis BB12, Bifidobacterium longum B66, Bifidobacterum infantis JCM 1210 and Bifidobacterum adolesentis JCM 1275. The present results indicate that sweet potato-shochu distillery wastewater can be used as an enhancer of fermentation by Bifidobacterium.
