L-lactate production from xylose employing Lactococcus lactis IO-1

The growth, substrate utilisation and L-lactate production of Lactococcus lactis IO-1 were examined on xylose and glucose and xylose media. The yield of lactate on xylose was 0.47 g lactate/g xylose at an initial xylose concentration of 51.2 g/l and the mu sub(max) was 0.72 h super(-1). Xylose cultures were more susceptible to lactate inhibition than were glucose cultures but showed similar kinetic behaviour. The organism was capable of complete sugar utilisation when grown on a mixture of 20 g/l xylose and 20 g/l glucose and synthesised 0.66 g lactate/g sugar.