Optimum Conditions for the Production of Tetramethylpyrazine Flavor Compound by Aerobic Fed-batch Culture of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis FC1

Optimum conditions for the production of acetoin and ammonia as the precursors of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) were determined using Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis FC1 in a modified Lactose-citrate broth containing galactose, citrate, and arginine. The cell growth and the productivity of acetoin and ammonia were remarkably increased in an aerobic culture with 10 $\mu M$ of hematin. For the optimum conditions of acetoin and ammonia production, the concentration of citrate and arginine were adjusted to 156 mM and 50 mM after 18 hr cultivation, and citrate and galactose to 156 mM and 50 mM after 36 hr cultivation, respectively. In these conditions, acetoin and ammonia were produced to the final concentration of 127 mM and 195 mM, which were the highest concentations, respectively. The optimum conditions of the TMP production were also determined as follows; 4 hours at 121, pH 8.3, and the maximal yield of TMP under these conditions was 0.81 g/l.