Isolation of thermophilic l-lactic acid producing bacteria showing homo-fermentative manner under high aeration condition

By applying non-sterile open fermentation of food waste, various thermotolerant l-lactic acid-producing bacteria were isolated and identified. The predominant bacterial isolates showing higher accumulation of l-lactic acid belong to 3 groups of Bacillus coagulans, according to their 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities. B. coagulans strains M21 and M36 produced high amounts of l-lactic acid of high optical purity and lactic acid selectivity in model kitchen refuse medium and glucose–yeast extract–peptone medium. Other thermotolerant isolates resembling to Bacillus humi, B. ruris, B. subtilis, B. niacini and B. soli were also identified. These bacteria produced low amounts of l-lactic acid of more than 99% optical purity. All isolated strains showed the highest growth rate at temperatures around 55–60°C. They showed unique responses to various oxygen supply conditions. The majority of isolates produced l-lactic acid at a low overall oxygen transfer coefficient (KLa); however, acetic acid was produced instead of l-lactic acid at a high KLa. B. coagulans M21 was the only strain that produced high, consistent, and reproducible amounts of optically pure l-lactic acid (>99% optical purity) under high and low KLa conditions in a homo-fermentative manner.