Detection of microbial contamination in fermentation processes: mass spectrometric determination of gram-negative bacteria in Leuconostoc mesenteroides cultures.
Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to detect the presence of Enterobacter cloacae in cultures of Leuconostoc mesenteroides, an organism used in an industrial process for production of dextrane. The penta-fluorobenzoyl-methyl ester derivative of 3-hydroxy-myristic acid, a characteristic compound of gram-negative bacteria, was used as the analyte. By using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring, E. cloacae was determined over the range of 1 ppm to 1% in cultures of L. mesenteroides. The proposed analytical approach represents a useful alternative to conventional methods for determining contaminating organisms in industrial fermentation processes.
Elmroth
I
I
Department of Technical Analytical Chemistry, University of Lund, Chemical Center, Box 124, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
Valeur
A
A
Odham
G
G
Larsson
L
L