Propionic acid fermentation by Propionibacterium freudenreichii CCTCC M207015 in a multi-point fibrous-bed bioreactor

Propionic acid was produced in a multi-point fibrous-bed (MFB) bioreactor by Propionibacterium freudenreichii CCTCC M207015. The MFB bioreactor, comprising spiral cotton fiber packed in a modified 7.5-l bioreactor, was effective for cell-immobilized propionic acid production compared with conventional free cell fermentation. Batch fermentations at various glucose concentrations were investigated in the MFB bioreactor. Based on analysis of the time course of production, a fed-batch strategy was applied for propionic acid production. The maximum propionic acid concentration was 67.05 g l−1 after 496 h of fermentation, and the proportion of propionic acid to total organic acids was approximately 78.28% (w/w). The MFB bioreactor exhibited excellent production stability during batch fermentation and the propionic acid productivity remained high after 78 days of fermentation.