Which is a commercial use for lactic acid fermentation? brewing beer baking making wine making cheese

The answer is making cheese. Cheese is made from milk which has a high composition of lactose. The lactose is converted to lactate in anaerobic conditions by anaerobic bacteria. Examples of the facultative anaerobes used in lactic acid fermentation are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles.

Lactic acid fermentation is used commercially to make cheese.

Further Explanation:

The fermentation of milk can lead to the production of products like cheese and yogurt. Cheese is a milk product that is made by the action of microbes like Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Milk components include sugar, fats, and proteins that are soluble in water. When the microbe is introduced to the milk, fermentation occurs that lowers the milk pH and converts milk sugars to lactic acid. This leads to coagulation, and thus, the formation of cheese occurs. The product is preserved from further microbial growth as it is acidic.

Bacterial fermentation breaks the complex carbohydrates into simpler forms but keeps the proteins intact. The production of lactic acid (by the version of milk sugars) in dairy products results in the coagulation. The carbohydrates (sugars) in the milk are broken down to produce lactic acid, which is further responsible for the lowering of pH (making the milk acidic), leading to coagulation. Cheese is a vital source of calcium, healthy fats and vitamins, and micronutrients.

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Answer Details:

Grade: High School

Subject: Biology

Topic: Fermentation

Keywords:

Fermentation, cheese, calcium, fats, vitamins, carbohydrate, lactic acid, milk, sugar, coagulation, dairy product, formation, proteins.