Selection of an adhesive phenotype of Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus for use in fixed-bed reactors

 Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus was cultivated in a chemostat in order to obtain an adhesive phenotype of this strain. When the system was operated at low dilution rates (D<0.2 h^-1) for about 4 weeks, the strain formed a visible film on the surface of the culture vessel. The biofilm cells were not washed out even when dilution rates were increased (D=6.9 h^-1), and this resulted in a high biomass productivity (P=4.1 g l^-1h^-1). On the other hand, when the culture was grown at dilution rates faster than 0.2 h^-1, only the free suspended cells were present in the culture broth, and were washed out at velocities of about 1.0 h^-1. The biomass productivity was consequently lower (P=1.33 g l^-1h^-1) than in the previous case. The selected adhesive phenotype was grown on different glass beads and the possibility of lactate fermentation in a continuous and semicontinuous mode was demonstrated. Received: 16 August 1995/Received revision: 18 March 1996/Accepted: 25 March 1996