Abstract
Medium components for lactic acid production were optimized with a strain of Lactobacillus sp., isolated by our Lab. Nitrogen source was the key component and manganese ion was also important for lactic acid production in this strain. Optimal concentration of manganese ion was 0.03 g/l as MnSO$_{4}$ 4 - 5 H$_{2}$O base. Other mineral elements, however, had little effect on it. Among the nitrogen sources we examined, yeast extract showed the highest productivity. Yeast extract, the exellent but very expensive medium component, could be partially replaced by soytone until 60% dry base with higher productivity, or by tryptone enforced with vitamines and nucleic acids. In order to replace yeast extract completely, we examined several inexpensive nitrogen sources and their enzymatic hydrolyzates. The hydrolyzate of vital wheat gluten was the best of them.