A Two-Stage Fermentation Process: Production of Propionate and Acetate Salt as Road Deicer from Cheese Whey

摘要

A two-stage fermentation process to convert cheese whey lactose to propionic and acetic acid through lactic acid as an intermediate was performed using Lactobacillus plantarum (ATCC 21028) and Propionibacterium acidipropionici (P200910). Fed-batch and continuous fermentation processes were performed to increase the final propionic acid concentration and productivity. The fed-batch performance resulted in a total propionic and acetic acid yield of 0.61 g g -1 lactic acid consumed and a productivity of 0.1 g L-h -1 . By continuous operation, the product yield increased to 0.88 g g -1 lactic acid consumed and productivity increased to 0.34 g L-h -1 over that of the fed-batch operation. Ice-melting studies were performed using SHP H-205.1 protocol (Strategic Highway Research Program). Propionate and acetate salt from cheese whey-derived lactic acid was found effective in its ice-melting characteristics (0.68 � 0.01 mL g -1 ) and was comparable to the commercial salt ZeroIce (0.7 � 0.01 mL g -1 ). In this study, research advances have been made toward a biobased propionate and acetate road deicer salt produced via fermentation that has significant potential to replace the currently used environmentally unfriendly NaCl and CaCl 2 salts