Glycerol/glucose co-fermentation: one more proficient process to produce propionic acid by Propionibacterium acidipropionici

Cosubstrates fermentation is such an effective strategy for increasing subject metabolic products that it could be available and studied in propionic acid production, using glycerol and glucose as carbon resources. The effects of glycerol, glucose, and their mixtures on the propionic acid production by Propionibacterium acidipropionici CGMCC1.2225 (ATCC4965) were studied, with the aim of improving the efficiency of propionic acid production. The propionic acid yield from substrate was improved from 0.475 and 0.303 g g(-1) with glycerol and glucose alone, respectively, to 0.572 g g(-1) with co-fermentation of a glycerol/glucose mixture of 4/1 (mol/mol). The maximal propionic acid and substrate conversion rate were 21.9 g l(-1) and 57.2% (w/w), respectively, both significantly higher than for a sole carbon source. Under optimized conditions of fed-batch fermentation, the maximal propionic acid yield and substrate conversion efficiency were 29.2 g l(-1) and 54.4% (w/w), respectively. These results showed that glycerol/glucose co-fermentation could serve as an excellent alternative to conventional propionic acid fermentation.