GROWTH STUDIES ON BACILLUS STEAROTHERMOPHILUS

Abstract

Growth curves for B. slearothermophilus were established for temperatures between 45 °C and 70 °C. Generation times as short as 10 minutes were obtained. At 65 °C initial logarithmic growth was followed by autolysis of over 90% of the ceils and subsequently by initiation of a second period of logarithmic growth. The effects of temperatures from 45 °C to 64 °C on the characteristics of the growth curves are almost identical with changes reported for E. coli between 22 °C and 42 °C.