An unstructured model for growth and lactic acid production during two-stage continuous cultures of
Lactobacillus helveticus
was previously developed. The Verlhust model was considered to describe growth kinetics. Production models was based on modified Luedeking-Piret expressions involving an inhibitory effect for the first stage (seed culture) and a nutritional limitation effect for the second stage (culture). To account for the decrease of the biomass concentration observed in the second stage, the dilution rate
Dc was replaced by an exponential term of the dilution rate α exp (
Dc/β ) in the growth and product relations. Contrarily to the previous model, the important decrease of the biomass concentration observed at steady state in the second stage at high dilution rates, namely close to wash out, was correctly described by the new model. It also proved to satisfactory describes production data and volumetric productivity.
