This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mundt, J. O. Articles by McCarty, I. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Mundt, J. O. Articles by McCarty, I. E. Agricola Articles by Mundt, J. O. Articles by McCarty, I. E.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1966 January; 14(1): 115-118
Copyright © 1966 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Growth of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Waste Waters of Vegetable-Processing Plants

Departments of Bacteriology and Food Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee

ABSTRACT

Waters used in washing, blanching, cooling, and conveying vegetables during processing for freezing were filtered, sterilized, and inoculated with Streptococcus faecalis, S. lactis, or Lactobacillus plantarum. The contents of total nitrogen and total solids were determined, and ninhydrin tests and Benedict's tests for reducing sugars were performed. Substances positive to the ninyhydrin tests and also capable of supporting the growth of the bacteria to high levels of population were found in waters used to blanch cut green beans, but not in the cooling or conveying waters. They were found only in waters following slicing of blanched whole beans. They were also present in waters used in processing purple hull peas at all stages, but only in the waters used to blanch and cool lima beans. The substances were present in waters used to wash and blanch squash, but only in the waters used to blanch greens; they were not found in the cooling waters during the handling of either vegetable. No waters used in the processing of okra yielded a positive ninhydrin test, nor did they support the growth of the lactic acid bacteria.