Question

In which food would you find lactic acid bacteria? Mention some of their useful applications.

Answer 1

Generally, Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), are found in milk and its products.

Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), are a group of related bacteria that produce lactic acid from carbohydrate fermentation. They are generally used in making fermented milk products.

(i) They can grow in milk, breakdown lactose sugar in the milk and produce acids that coagulate and partially digest the milk proteins. They also add $vitamin-B_{12}$ in milk thereby its nutritional quality.

(ii) In our stomach too, the LAB play a very beneficial role in checking disease-causing microbes.