Bacteriophage application restores ethanol fermentation characteristics disrupted by Lactobacillus fermentum.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Contamination of corn mash by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) reduces the efficiency of the ethanol fermentation process. The industry relies heavily on antibiotics for contamination control and there is a need to develop alternative methods. The goals of this study were to determine the diversity and abundance of bacteria contaminating commercial ethanol fermentations, and to evaluate the potential of anti-LAB bacteriophages in controlling production losses.

Results

Bacterial populations in 27 corn mash samples collected from nine different commercial plants were determined by pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons. The results showed that the most abundant bacteria (>50 % of total population) in 24 of the 27 samples included LAB genera such as Lactobacillus, Streptococ

SUBMITTER: Liu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4558781 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature