Production of amino acids by yogurt bacteria.

The dynamics of free amino acid production by the selected strains Streptococcus thermophilus 13a and Lactobacillus bulgaricus 2-11 were studied in pure and mixed cultivations during yogurt starter culture manufacture. L. bulgaricus 2-11 showed the highest activity for producing free amino acids with high individual concentrations over the first hour of growth (50% of the total amount). By the end of milk's full coagulation (4.5 h), 70% of the total amount of amino acids was released. S. thermophilus 13a showed poor proteolytic properties and consumed up to 70% of the free amino acids produced by L. bulgaricus 2-11 in the process of coagulation of milk with the mixed culture.