Effect of nutrient supplements on growth and viability of Lactobacillus johnsonii NRRL B-2178 in whey

The main objectives of the paper were to study the effects of nutrient supplementation of cows' whey on the growth and viability of the probiotic microorganism Lactobacillus johnsonii NRRL B-2178. Because of the short lifespan of probiotics, this study was aimed at the evaluation of the contribution of nutrients in the improvement of growth and viability of the microorganism for the purpose of its further application in the formulation of whey-based beverages. A maximal cell growth of 8.70 log10 cfu mL−1 and viability of less than 5 days were achieved during the fermentation of whey supplemented with yeast extract (3.0%) and inulin (1.0%), including the synergistic effect of temperature 39 °C. Elimination of inulin from the fermentation process reduced the viable cell count by 0.2 log10 cfu mL−1, but the addition of 1.0% inulin after fermentation extended the viability of Lb. johnsonii NRRL B-2178 by 10 days.