초록
<P><B>ABSTRACT</B></P><P>Invasive <I>Lactobacillus</I> bacteria inhibit ethanol fermentations and reduce final product yields. Due to the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of <I>Lactobacillus</I> spp., alternative disinfection strategies are needed for ethanol fermentations. The feasibility of using the bacteriophage (phage) 8014‐B2 to control <I>Lactobacillus plantarum</I> in ethanol fermentations by <I>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</I> was investigated. In 48 h media‐based shake flask fermentations, phages achieved greater than 3‐log inactivation of <I>L. plantarum</I>, protected final ethanol yields, and maintained yeast viability. The phage‐based bacterial disinfection rates depended on both the initial phage and bacterial concentrations. Furthermore, a simple set of kinetic equations was used to model the yeast, bacteria, phage, reducing sugars, and ethanol concentrations over the course of 48 h, and the various kinetic parameters were determined. Taken together, these results demonstrate the applicability of phages to reduce <I>L. plantarum</I> contamination and to protect final product yields in media‐based fermentations. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 1544–1553. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</P>