‘Lactobacillus sp. strain TERI-D3’, as microbial cell factory for fermentative production of lactic acid’.

This study reports for lactic acid production from different carbohydrates; monosaccharide (glucose, galactose, lactose) & disaccharides (sucrose) and from lignocellulose biomass (rice straw) by a novel strain ‘Lactobacillus sp. strain TERI-D3’. ‘TERI-D3’ strain produced 19.9, 19.4, 18.1 and 15.8 g/L of lactic acid from glucose, sucrose, lactose and galactose, respectively. Maximum lactic acid yield efficiency (0.97 g/g) was observed with glucose (>95% of the theoretical maximum yield). Lactic acid titer from glucose was 0.41 g/L. The lactic acid titer and yield from rice straw biomass sugar was; 11.58 g/L and 0.73 g/g (>80% of the theoretical maximum yield), respectively. The novelty of this study is that the ‘TERI-D3’ strain is a promising microbe for green lactic acid as it has potential to valorize cheese industry waste, algae biomass as well as to utilize inexpensive next generation lignocellulose biomass that are abundant and do not compete with food chain supply. This approach of recycling and or reuse of organic waste holds importance in the circular economy frame.