Cheese whey permeate supplemented with yeast extract and peptone was used as a growth medium for the bacteria Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. At the end of the exponential growth phase, the fermented growth medium was ultrafiltered to concentrate the microorganism and to evaluate the effect of the membrane porosity, inicial UF pH and cellular concentration in permeation rate during the ultrafiltration process. The membranes used were efficient as a mean of a barrage for the Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. On average, the cellular concentrations were 10(8) CFU/mL and 10² CFU/mL for retentate and permeate, respectively. Membranes of different porosities had very similar flux rates. Better flow rates were obtained with inicial UF pH 6,5 and with the minors micrrorganism concentration.
ultrafiltration; starter; Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
