For the purpose of improving the survival of lactobacilli in fermented milk, cultured milk drinks and related products, this work was carried out on several factors affecting on the lethal rate of
L. acidophilus and
L. bulgaricus strains.
Results are summarized as follows:
1. Minimal lethal rate of lactobacilli was obtained at the pH value of 5-6 in the McIlvaine buffer solution, as the storage medium.
2. Under the condition of low pH values below 4, the survival of lactobacilli was remarkably affected by some factors.
i) Species:
L. bulgaricus strains were destroyed in a shorter storage period than
L. acidophilus strains.
ii) Storage temperature: The lower storage temperatures resulted in the lower rate of death of lactobacilli and the stabilities of viable cell counts were considerably increased under the storage temperatures below 5°C.
iii) Growth phase: Cells cultivated at the logarithmic growth phase or the death phase were rapidly destroyed during storage. On the other hand, cells cultivated at the maximum stationary phase were slowly decreased in number.
iv) Addition of sugars: Single effect of change of osmotic pressure on the survival, by the addition of sugars into the storage medium (pH 6), was feeble. But, in the medium of low pH value, the viable cell counts were rapidly decreased by the addition of sugars.
v) Addition of vitamines: The viable cell counts were stabilized by the addition of sodium ascorbate into the storage medium. But no change was observed by the addition of thiamine or riboflavin.
vi) Addition of yeast-extract: Cells cultivated from the culture medium containing yeast-extract were greatly stable to the low pH. Therefore, it seems to be that the composition of culture media, incubation time and incubation temperatures also affect on the survival of lactobacilli during the storage of the products.
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