Ferment, Bulgarian

Bulgarian buttermilk is similar to cultured buttermilk, except that the whole or partly skimmed milk is fermented by Lactobacillus bulg-aricus. With a titratable acidity of 1.2 to 1.5% expressed as lactic acid, it is more acidic than cultured buttermilk. 

These are tryptases secreted by the molds or by the bacteria contained originally in the milk, such as tyrothrix and yeast, and the casease secreted by the lactic ferments themselves. We know, in fact, that these are capable under certain conditions of peptonizing the albuminoid materials, and especially casein. A direct proof is offered by Maze. The experiment is made, on one hand with Str piococcus lebenis, which is encountered in the product known by the names of Bulgarian buttermilk, leben, yoghourt, etc., and on the other hand with an industrial lactic ferment. Milk, sterilized at 120°, is inoculated with the two bacteria, and after a certain time the filterable... 

Thus the hypothesis of Metchnikoff on the change testinal flora caused by fermented milk is verified by ba logical and chemical analyses. This point appears to be I all discussion. But it still remains necessary to veri mechanism of the action and to see if really, as is sup the therapeutic effect of fermented milk comes from the acid. Bulgarian ferment which has been isolated from hourt is a very active producer of acid. Inoculated into i milk, it rapidly and almost completely transforms the 1 into lactic acid. From this it is deduced that in the orj a similar phenomenon takes place. This conclusion, ho requires verification. Above all else, it would be nec to show that the ferment produces the same effect in th< intestine as it does in vitro. It would also be necessi establish the presence in this region of appreciable qua of free lactic acid after a treatment with fermented milk, proofs have not been found. Moreover, we know ths content of the large intestine has, on the contrary, an a... 

The experiments just mentioned relate solely to Bulgarian ferment. The tests made with other medicinal lactic ferments have led to results of the same character, but show an effect still more accentuated. The proteolytic properties of these ferments are very pronounced. They are manifested not only in milk containing carbonate, but also in normal milk, in media free from sugars, and finally on coagulated albumin. Several samples of the same milk have been fermented with... 

Thus, only Bulgarian ferment and Boucard s Lacteol are true lactic ferments. None of the other products, compressed or powdered, contains bacteria in the active state belonging to this great group, but, on the other hand, all contain a bacillus... 

The constant presence of a proteolytic enzyme in industrial Bulgarian ferments, and the fact that the laboratory Bulgarian ferment studied by Bertrand, when cultivated in the presence of caldum carbonate, also develops its proteolytic properties to a pronounced degree, at one time led the writer to suppose here also the presence of the same bacterium which was undergoing biochemical variations under the influence of the conditions of the environment. Since then, a more thorough study has demonstrated that there is, in reality, a difference between Bulgarian ferment of Bertrand and B. pseudolactic contained in commerdal preparations, and that they must be regarded as two entirely distinct species. 

However, these discoveries do not at all affect the question as to the chemistry of the pharmaceutical lactic ferment. The true Bulgarian ferment, as we have seen, possesses proteols c properties whose manifestation requires certain conditions. Planted in the intestine, it exerts there its influence in the same manner as the lactic ferment influences the ripening of cheese, and this activity is also accentuated with time, the ferment acquiring a sort of enthusiasm for this new work. It must he noted, however, that in most of the tests made in hospitals, Lactobadllin has been used in lozenges, in powder, or even in milk which has been made to ferment by the aid of these substances, so that the universal reputation of Lactobadllin is due solely to the pseudolactic ferment which it contains. 

Petrova, P., Emanuilova, M., and Petrov, K. (2010) Amylolytic Lactobacillus strains from Bulgarian fermented beverage boza. Z. Naturforsch., C, 65, 218-224. 

Gotcheva, V, Pandiella, S. S., Angelov, A., Roshkova, Z. G., Webb, C. (2000). Microflora identification of the Bulgarian cereal - based fermented beverage boza. Process Biochemistry, 36, 127-130. 

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