Growth, maintenance and fermentation pattern of the salt-tolerant lactic acid bacterium Tetragenococcus halophila in anaerobic glucose limited retention cultures

The homofermentative lactic acid bacterium Tetragenococcus halophila showed mixed acid fermentation at low growth-rates under glucose limiting conditions and in the presence of 10% NaCl. Maximum growth yields in fermentors with cell retention were not affected by pH, but maintenance requirement was at pH 5.2 four times higher than at pH 7.0. Despite the high salt-concentration of the medium, maintenance requirements were low compared to other lactic acid bacteria. The possible causes of the observed differences in maintenance requirements are discussed.