• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.337-340
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• 2001

A galactooligosaccharide(GalOS)-producing yeast, OE-20 was selected from forty seven strains of yeast growing in Korean traditional Meju (cooked soybean) and the yeast was tentatively identified as Kluyveromyces maxianus var lactis by its morphology and fermentation profile. A maximum yield of 25.1%(w/w) GalOS, which corresponds to 25.1 g of GalOS per liter, was obtained from the reaction of 100 g per liter of lactose solution at 3$0^{\circ}C$, pH 7.0 for 18 h with an intracellular crude $\beta$-galactosidase. Glucose and galactosidase were found to inhibit GalOS formation. The GalOS that were purified by active carbon and celite 545 column chromatography were supplemented in MRS media and a stimulated growth was observed of some intestinal bacteria. In particular the growth rate of Bifidobacterium infantis in the GalOS containing MRS broth increased up to 12.5% compared to that of the MRS-glucose broth during a 48h incubation period.