Patent · US Expired

Microbial co-culture production of propionic acid

US4794080A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
3References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 16, 1984
Grant dateDec 27, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 16, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S435/885
  • WIPO fieldBiotechnology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A simultaneous sequential anaerobic fermentation process for the in vitro production of propionic and acetic acids is disclosed. The process comprises employing an obligatory two-component co-culture which maintains a relatively constant ratio of species populations over multiple passages. A first co-culture component is a Lactobacillus or Streptococcus which homofermentatively converts the hexose to lactic acid. A second microorganism in the co-culture is a Veillonella which is metabolically incapable of assimillating the hexose and converts the lactic acid product to propionic and acetic acids. The co-culture is inoculated into a nutrient growth feedstock such as whole whey or a clarified dairy whey lactose permeate which contains a metabolizable source of a hexose such as glucose, lactose or sucrose.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.