Production of bakers' yeast in cheese whey ultrafiltrate.

A process for the production of bakers' yeast in whey ultrafiltrate (WU) is described. Lactose in WU was converted to lactic acid and galactose by fermentation. Streptococcus thermophilus was selected for this purpose. Preculturing of S. thermophilus in skim milk considerably reduced its lag. Lactic fermentation in 2.3x-concentrated WU was delayed compared with that in unconcentrated whey, and fermentation could not be completed within 60 h. The growth rate of bakers' yeast in fermented WU differed among strains. The rate of galactose utilization was similar for all strains, but differences in lactic acid utilization occurred. Optimal pH ranges for galactose and lactic acid utilization were 5.5 to 6.0 and 5.0 to 5.5, respectively. The addition of 4 g of corn steep liquor per liter to fermented WU increased cell yields. Two sources of nitrogen were available for growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: amino acids (corn steep liquor) and ammonium (added during the lactic acid fermentation). Ammonium was mostly assimilated during growth on lactic acid. This process could permit the substitution of molasses by WU for the industrial production of bakers' yeast.

Evidence of thermonuclease production by Bacillus spp. and enterococci in naturally contaminated cheese.

Of 105 thermonuclease-positive (TNase-positive) cheese samples comprising 13 types, 92 (87.6%) contained coagulase-positive staphylococci, whereas 9 (8.6%) contained microorganisms other than staphylococci as the major contaminants. Of the latter group, six samples contained Bacillus spp. comprising three species (B. cereus, B. licheniformis, and B. subtilis), and three contained mainly enterococci (Streptococcus faecalis), which were proven to be TNase producers. The organisms responsible for TNase production in the other four samples (3.8%) are not known, because isolates from these samples failed to produce the enzyme. Unlike staphylococcal TNase, a greater part of nonstaphylococcal TNase remains in the cheese homogenate after extraction of the enzyme at pH 3.8 instead of pH 4.5.

[Identification of actinomycetes with antifungal activity which do not affect Rhizobium meliloti]. / Identification des actinomycètes antagonistes de champignons et n'affectant pas le Rhizobium meliloti.

Thirteen isolates of actinomycetes that have broad antifungal activity and do not affect two efficient strains of Rhizobium meliloti were identified as: Nocardia autotrophica, Streptomyces antimycoticus, S. anulatus, S. capoamus, S. lydicus, S. murinus, S. roseo-luteus, and S. thermotolerans.

[Actinomycetes antagonistic to fungi and not affecting Rhizobium meliloti]. / Actinomycètes antagnoistes de champignons et n'affectant pas le Rhizobium meliloti.

The effects of 481 actinomycetes isolated from agricultural soils supporting good growth of alfalfa or clover on two efficient strains of Rhizobium meliloti A2 and S14 were studied. Strain A2 was inhibited by 28% of the isolates and strain S14 was inhibited by 31% of them. No significant difference was found between the resistance of both actinomycete strains. The effects of the 288 isolates not affecting R. meliloti on six fungi were also studied. The most sensitive fungus was Stemphylium sarcinaeforme inhibited by 20% of the isolates, while Fusarium culmorum was the most resistant fungus and was inhibited by only 6% of the isolates. Thirteen isolates inhibited four to six fungi. In an autoclaved greenhouse soil, isolate 181 which inhibited the six fungi tested significantly reduced the population of the phytopathogenic fungus F. oxysporum f. sp. medicaginis and eliminated the inhibitory effect showed by this fungus on strain A2 of R. meliloti.