Quantitative Measurement of Heat Formation During Malolactic Fermentation

¹ Institut für Mikrobiologie und Weinforschung, Johannes Gutenberg Universität, D- 55099 Mainz, Germany
² Institut für Zoologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, D- 55099 Mainz, Germany

Growing cells of Lactobacillus plantarum utilized malate during the malolactic fermentation more rapidly than glucose and preferred malate to glucose, although glucose was essential for growth. In the presence of malate plus glucose, the growth rate and the cell yield on glucose were increased. Cells growing in the presence of malate contained more ATP than cells growing on glucose only. By microcalorimetry it was found that 50-mL cultures of L. plantarum dissipated 308 J heat when growing in a medium containing 1% glucose. In a medium containing 1% glucose plus 1% malate, 342 J were generated. This corresponds to a heat production of 8.5 kJ per mole malate.

Key words: malolactic fermentation, heat formation, microcalorimetry, lactic acid bacteria, malic acid, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc

Submitted on September 10, 1996