Use of compounds involved in biosynthesis of nucleic acids as cryoprotective agents
AssigneeChr. Hansen A/S
InventorsBørge Windel Kringelum, Niels Martin Sørensen, Peter Sørensen
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Abstract
A new type of cryoprotective agents that are useful for retaining the viability and metabolic activity of frozen or freeze-dried microbial cultures, is disclosed. The cryoprotective agent comprises compounds involved in biosynthesis of nucleic acids. Methods for the preparation as well as the uses of such cultures are given. Such cultures are useful as starter cultures in the manufacturing of food and feed products. Starter cultures of the invention include culture of lactic acid bacteria, e.g. Lactococcus species as well as other species.
Claims24
A stable non-liquid frozen or freeze-dried starter culture comprising:
- (a) a microorganism selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium spp., Brevibacterium spp., Propionibacterium spp., Lactococcus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., Pediococcus spp., Leuconostoc spp., Oenococcus spp., yeast cultures, filamentous fungi, or a combination thereof in an amount of at least 109 colony forming units (CFU) per gram of starter culture and
- (b) a cryoprotective agent selected from the group consisting of inosine 5′ monophosphate (IMP), cytidine 5′ monophosphate (CMP), or a combination thereof;
- wherein, if the starter culture is non-liquid frozen, the cryoprotective agent is about 0.5% to 20% w/w of the non-liquid frozen starter culture;
- and
- wherein, if the starter culture is freeze-dried, the cryoprotective agent is about 0.8-60% w/w of the freeze-dried starter culture.
A stable non-liquid frozen starter culture comprising:
- (a) a microorganism selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium spp., Brevibacterium spp., Propionibacterium spp., Lactococcus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., Pediococcus spp., Leuconostoc spp., Oenococcus spp., yeast cultures, and filamentous fungi, or a combination thereof and
- (b) a cyroprotective agent selected from the group consisting of inosine 5′ monophosphate (IMP), cytidine 5′ monophosphate (CMP), or a combination thereof;
- wherein the cryoprotective agent is about 0.5% to 20% w/w of the non-liquid frozen starter culture.
A stable freeze-dried starter culture comprising:
- (a) a microorganism selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium spp., Brevibacterium spp., Propionibacterium spp., Lactococcus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., Pediococcus spp., Leuconostoc spp., Oenococcus spp., yeast cultures, and filamentous fungi, or a combination thereof and
- (b) a cyroprotective agent selected from the group consisting of inosine 5′ monophosphate (IMP), cytidine 5′ monophosphate (CMP), or a combination thereof;
- wherein the cryoprotective agent is about by 0.8-60% w/w of the freeze-dried starter culture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.