Topic: Microbes in Food Processing — Complete Overview
| Cue Column | Note-Taking Column |
|---|---|
| What does Lactobacillus produce? | Lactic acid (from lactose) → curd formation + vitamin B12 increase |
| What does Saccharomyces produce? | CO2 (bread rising) + ethanol |
| Swiss cheese holes? | Propionibacterium shermanii → CO2 during lactic acid fermentation |
| Roquefort cheese? | Penicillium roqueforti → blue-green mold ripening |
| Citric acid source? | Aspergillus niger → organic acid fermentation from sugars |
| Vinegar production? | Acetobacter aceti → aerobic ethanol → acetic acid oxidation |
Summary Box: Six microbes are critical for NEET food processing questions. The biggest traps are: (1) Lactobacillus = curd, NOT cheese holes; (2) Swiss cheese holes = Propionibacterium (CO2); (3) Roquefort = Penicillium roqueforti (mold). Use mnemonic "Lazy Students Prefer Playing And Drinking" to recall all six.
Reference Image:
Figure: Scanning electron micrograph of Lactobacillus — the rod-shaped lactic acid bacterium responsible for curd formation from milk. Note the characteristic rod morphology of lactobacilli.