Effect of caseinomacropeptide concentrate addition on the growth of bifidobacteria.

We investigated the effect of caseinomacropeptide concentrate (CMP) on the growth and metabolic activity of Bifidobacterium bifidum CCDM 94 and Bifidobacterium lactis BB12 in skim milk with the addition of glucose and of various combinations of yeast extract, L-cysteine-HCl, ascorbic acid, and CMP. The microorganisms grew well on the medium containing a combination of all the nutrients mentioned, and on that where only L-cysteine-HCl was missing. In the media enhanced with CMP a shorter lag-phase occurred than in those without CMP. The shortest lag-phase and the longest log-phase with a high growth rate were observed in media No. 2 (complete medium with CMP) and No. 8 (complete medium without L-cysteine-HCl).