Alcohol production from cheese whey permeate using genetically modified flocculent yeast cells

Biotechnol Bioeng. 2001 Mar 5;72(5):507-14. doi: 10.1002/1097-0290(20010305)72:5<507::aid-bit1014>3.0.co;2-u.

Abstract

Alcoholic fermentation of cheese whey permeate was investigated using a recombinant flocculating Saccharomyces cerevisiae, expressing the LAC4 (coding for beta-galactosidase) and LAC12 (coding for lactose permease) genes of Kluyveromyces marxianus enabling for lactose metabolization. Data on yeast fermentation and growth on cheese whey permeate from a Portuguese dairy industry is presented. For cheese whey permeate having a lactose concentration of 50 gL(-1), total lactose consumption was observed with a conversion yield of ethanol close to the expected theoretical value. Using a continuously operating 5.5-L bioreactor, ethanol productivity near 10 g L(-1) h(-1) (corresponding to 0.45 h(-1) dilution rate) was obtained, which raises new perspectives for the economic feasibility of whey alcoholic fermentation. The use of 2-times concentrated cheese whey permeate, corresponding to 100 gL(-1) of lactose concentration, was also considered allowing for obtaining a fermentation product with 5% (w/v) alcohol.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cheese*
  • Culture Media
  • Escherichia coli Proteins*
  • Ethanol / metabolism*
  • Fermentation
  • Kluyveromyces / genetics
  • Kluyveromyces / metabolism
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Milk Proteins / metabolism
  • Monosaccharide Transport Proteins*
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism*
  • Symporters*

Substances

  • Culture Media
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • LacY protein, E coli
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Milk Proteins
  • Monosaccharide Transport Proteins
  • Symporters
  • Ethanol
  • lactose permease