• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.364-369
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• 1995

Effect of two-phase culture on Mentha piperita cell growth and essential oil formation was investigated using shake flask and air-lift bioreactors. LiChroprep RP-B(RP-B) addition did not impair M. piperita cell growth, but resulted in stimulated formation of essential oils and increased ratios of extracellular oil to intracellular oil formation. However, the combined use of RP-B and chitosan elicitor was not synergistic. Volumetric productivity of essential oils in RP-B treated culture using cell-recycled air-lift bioreactor was $6.9\;\mu\textrm{g}/l{\cdot}day$ which was substantially higher than that obtainable from the control. Our results demonstrate the potential of a second phase to enhance overall productivity for M. piperita cell culture.