[Use of cheese whey for growing the Bradyrhizobium japonicum E-109 strain].

The growth of Bradyrhizobium japonicum E-109 using cheese whey as carbon source was studied. The cheese whey was previously hydrolyzed by acid or enzymatic treatment with purified beta galactosidase or a crude extract from Kluyveromyces fragilis. The results obtained demonstrated that the use of the modified enzymatic hydrolyzed whey as carbon source allowed the growth of B. japonicum E-109 reaching a concentration of approximately 10(10) viable cells/ml. These results are considered of industrial value because the poluent power whey is greatly reduced.