Effect of Size of Inoculum on the Apparent Vitamin Requirements of Lactic Acid Bacteria.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Most investigators have found biotin, pantothenic acid, and nicotinic acid to be essential for growth of all lactic acid bacteria tested. A few reports have indicated that many of these organisms, including Lacto-bacillus arabinosus and L. casei, grow without these vitamins. By use of the latter 2 organisms, it is shown that these vitamins are essential for growth. They may be made to appear non-essential (i.e., growth will occur in vitamin-deficient media) if large washed inocula, grown in media rich in these vitamins, are employed. The growth obtained in this fashion, however, does not continue on subculture into the same vitamin-deficient media, even though large inocula are used. Growth in the initial culture is apparently permitted, therefore, by carry-over of sufficient vitamin with the cells from the inoculum medium to permit growth.