Integration of a liquid membrane in Taylor flow regime with a fermentation by Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393 for in-situ lactic acid removal

Abstract A new type of liquid membranes called liquid membrane in Taylor flow was integrated to a lactic acid fermentation, using Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393, for lactic acid removal during fermentation. The performance in terms of lactic acid production of the hybrid batch system is compared to a conventional batch fermentation. Lactic acid removal rate increases proportionally with the LA concentration within the fermenter. The lactic acid, the biomass production and the LA productivity in the hybrid system increased by 41.8, 12 and 26.6%, respectively, as compared to the conventional batch fermentation. However, toxicity effects reduce LA to glucose yield in 15.9% as compared to conventional fermentation. Liquid membranes in Taylor flow results promising for enhancing batch and continuous fermentation processes by a hybrid system.