Hydrolysis of soya milk oligosaccharides by Bifidobacterium longum CRL 849

 The reduction of soya milk oligosaccharides by Bifidobacterium longum CRL 849 was studied. The utilization of stachyose was concomitant with the use of sucrose. Maximum hydrolysis of stachyose (49.3%) occurred during the first 7 h of incubation at 37  °C, while a 79.3% decrease in the concentration of sucrose was observed after 9 h. No raffinose was detected after hydrolysis of the stachyose. Cell population decreased after 8 h of incubation because of the low pH attained (pH 4.7). l(+)-Lactate concentration was higher than acetate (molar ratio 6.7 : 1) at 6 h followed by a slow increase in acetate formation. Ethanol was detected in small amounts at the end of the incubation time (24 h). Received: 29 December 1997