Modulation of lactic acid production in Lactobacillus pentosus SH-114 by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (Na-DDC)

Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (NaDDC), a metal-chelating and redox-active compound, is known to influence several microbial metabolic pathways, yet its impact on lactic acid - producing bacteria remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the modulatory effects of Na-DDC on the fermentative metabolism of Lactobacillus pentosus SH-114, with a particular focus on lactic acid biosynthesis. Batch-fermentation experiments were conducted using varying concentrations of Na-DDC to assess changes in cell growth, sugar utilization, lactate yield, and associated metabolic intermediates. The results revealed that low concentrations of NaDDC exerted a mild stimulatory effect on lactic acid formation, likely by altering intracellular redox balance and enhancing NADH availability for lactate dehydrogenase. In contrast, higher doses significantly inhibited lactic acid production, coinciding with suppressed glycolytic flux and reduced enzyme activities associated with pyruvate conversion. These findings indicate that Na-DDC acts as a concentrationdependent metabolic modulator in L. pentosus SH114 and highlight the potential of redox-active chemical additives for fine-tuning lactic acid fermentation processes. The study provides new insights into chemically mediated metabolic regulation and offers a foundation for optimizing industrial lactic acid production. It has been found that bacterial strain Lactobacillus pentosus SH-114 is quite effective and useful for maximum biotic production of lactic acid,ie; 7.949 g/100mL which is 17.710% higher in comparison to control when 15% (w/v)molasses solution is allowed to ferment at pH 6.1, temperature 340C and incubation period of 6 days along with some other needful rich ingredients required by the Lactobacillus pentosus SH114.