title: Fermentation of citrate by Lactobacillus plantarum in the presence of a yeast under acid conditions.
abstract: At pH 3.6, Lactobacillus plantarum is unable to grow on citrate or to ferment it in the absence of another carbon source such as glucose. In a defined medium containing glucose and citrate, with a higher concentration of the former than the latter, as in many fermented alcoholic beverages, L. plantarum will first ferment the sugar. The production of lactate from glucose degradation increases the acidity of the medium and inhibits the fermentation of citrate. In co-culture with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, part of the glucose is fermented by the yeast, partly avoiding the pH drop and the inhibition of citrate fermentation by L. plantarum. Fermentation was still possible at pH values around 3.0.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Génie Biologique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 2/19, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kennes
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Dubourguier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Albagnac
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naveau
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veiga
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Nyns