Lactose consumption in whey by new Lactobacillus plantarum strains isolated from Camel milk

Abstract

Lactic acid bacteria have a wide range of applications in fermented food industry that can ferment carbohydrates to produce lactic acid. These bacteria have the particularity of having in their enzymatic baggage a particular enzyme, which is β-galactosidase, capable of degrading lactose and splitting it into galactose and glucose. The aim of present research was to select and investigate through some Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from camel milks from the Algerian Sahara, those most active in the degradation of lactose contained in whey from local manufacturing plant soft cheeses called camembert (Sidi Saada Relizane, Algeria). Results showed that among the eight isolated strains, four strains showed an interesting rates of consumption of lactose contained in whey, and which are in decreasing order P3, P8, P6 and P5, corresponding respectively to the percentages of 29.12, 28.82, 25.72 and 21.19%. Kinetic behaviors of five Lactobacillus strains were investigated with Contois model, data showed that the highest biomass production was obtained with the strain Lactobacillus P3 with 0.09 g g−1, followed by P2 and P6 with 0.08 g g−1, then followed by P8 and P5 with 0.07 g g−1. Whereas the rest of the strains, they appears to have a lower biomass production compared to others in decreasing order: P1 (0.06 g g−1), P4 and P7 (0.05 g g−1). These results reflect the capacity of these strains as well as their strong lactose degradation activity, this property would be important in particular for the use and possible exploitation of its strains in food industry, in particular dairy products, in order to in the recovery of whey which constitute a major waste from the dairy industry, which minimizes the risk of pollution. These strains can also be used in food products containing a low level of lactose, which will be intended for consumer suffering from lactose intolerance.