Feeding strategies for enhanced lactobionic acid production from whey by Pseudomonas taetrolens

High-level production of lactobionic acid from whey by Pseudomonas taetrolens under fed-batch fermentation was achieved in this study. Different feeding strategies were evaluated according to the physiological status and fermentation performance of P. taetrolens. A lactobionic acid titer of 164 g/L was obtained under co-feeding conditions affording specific and volumetric productivities of 1.4 g/g h and 2.05 g/L h, respectively. Flow cytometry assessment revealed that P. taetrolens cells exhibited a robust physiological status, which makes them particularly well-suited for employing concentrated nutrient solutions to further prolong the growth and production phases. Such detailed knowledge of the physiological status has been revealed to be a key issue to further support the development of high-yield lactobionic acid production processes under feeding strategies. The present study has demonstrated the feasibility of P. taetrolens to achieve high-level bio-production of lactobionic acid from whey through fed-batch cultivation, suggesting its major potential for industrial-scale implementation.