Use of whey for production of exocellular polysaccharide by a mutant strain of Xanthomonas campestris.

Growth and kinetics of the production of exocellular polysaccharide was studied in a mutant strain of Xanthomonas campestris lac+ during cultivation in a submerged culture in a medium containing whey. The maximum production of the polymer was observed at the initial stage of the stationary growth phase of the culture. The mean production yield was about 1.4%. The results were comparable with those obtained during cultivation on a lactose medium.