Production of organic acids from fermentation of mannitol, fructooligosaccharide and inulin by a cholesterol removing Lactobacillus acidophilus strain

AIMS: Assessment of individual production of organic acids by Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4962 in the presence of mannitol, fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and inulin. METHODS AND RESULTS: The production patterns of individual organic acids by L. acidophilus ATCC 4962 were assessed using the experimental region for optimum cholesterol removal from the interaction between L. acidophilus ATCC 4962 and prebiotics selected in our previous study. The production of acetic and formic acids was growth associated and was greatly influenced by the inoculum size of the organism and the concentration of mannitol. The growth of the organism was repressed with the fermentation end products of FOS and inulin, which subsequently exhibited repressed production of acetic and formic acids as well. The inoculum size, mannitol and FOS linearly affected the formation of butyric acid and the response surface generated showed a correlation between butyric acid and acetic acid. The experimental regions with increased production of lactic acid showed cessation of growth of the organism, indicating inhibition of growth at high concentration of lactic acid. CONCLUSIONS: The production of individual organic acids was dependent on growth and the fermentability of prebiotics. Mannitol, FOS and inulin favoured the production of formic, lactic and butyric acids respectively. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The fermentability of prebiotics to produce metabolites has been a controversial issue. Information gathered in this study provides a better understanding on the production of organic acids from fermentation of mannitol, FOS and inulin by L. acidophilus ATCC 4962, and on changes in their production as a response from interaction of factors.