Bacterial Culture pH Adjustment for Freezing Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Downstream processing steps such as freezing and drying of bacterial cultures often result in viability loss and activity loss, hindering the industrial production of storable viable bacteria due to cell damage during these processes.
Innovation Solution
Adjusting the pH of bacterial cultures to a range of 6.0 to 8.0 after termination of fermentation or adding a protective compound to the concentrated bacterial culture, which helps in maintaining cell integrity and activity during subsequent processing steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If freezing and drying steps are applied to concentrate and store bacterial culture, then storage stability is improved, but viability loss and cell damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the pH of the bacterial culture from acidic (pH 3.0-6.5) to neutral or alkaline (pH 7.0-9.0) before freezing and drying. This pH modification protects bacterial cells during downstream processing, reducing cell damage and viability loss while maintaining storage stability of the concentrated culture.
2Productivity
If pH is maintained at acidic levels during fermentation, then bacterial growth is optimized, but cell robustness during downstream processing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing pH adjustment before the downstream processing steps (freezing and drying). The pH is raised to neutral or alkaline levels in advance, preparing the bacterial cells to withstand the harsh conditions of concentration and storage, thereby protecting cell robustness without affecting the optimized growth achieved during acidic fermentation.
3Quantity of substance
If concentration step is applied to bacterial culture, then storage capacity is improved, but cell integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by modifying pH to neutral or alkaline levels before concentration. This pH modification creates protective conditions during the concentration process, maintaining cell integrity while achieving the desired storage capacity through concentration of the bacterial culture.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the provision of methods of preparing a bacterial culture and bacterial cultures obtained thereby. The present invention also relates to the provision of methods for reducing viability loss and/or activity loss during freezing and/or drying of a bacterial culture and for increasing storage stability of a frozen and/or dried bacterial culture.