Utilization of unhydrolyzed cheese whey for the production of extracellular polysaccharide by Xanthomonas cucurbitae PCSIR B-52

Biotechnological approaches for the value addition of whey

Whey, the liquid remaining after milk fat and casein have been separated from whole milk, is one of the major disposal problems of the dairy industry, and demands simple and economical solutions. In view of the fast developments in biotechnological techniques, alternatives of treating whey by transforming lactose present in it to value added products have been actively explored. Whey can be used directly as a substrate for the growth of different microorganisms to obtain various products such as ethanol, single-cell protein, enzymes, lactic acid, citric acid, biogas and so on. In this review, a comprehensive and illustrative survey is made to elaborate the various biotechnological innovations/techniques applied for the effective utilization of whey for the production of different bioproducts.

Use of whey for production of exocellular polysaccharide by a mutant strain of Xanthomonas campestris

Growth and kinetics of the production of exocellular polysaccharide was studied in a mutant strain of Xanthomonas campestris lac+ during cultivation in a submerged culture in a medium containing whey. The maximum production of the polymer was observed at the initial stage of the stationary growth phase of the culture. The mean production yield was about 1.4%. The results were comparable with those obtained during cultivation on a lactose medium.