X-SEED^® for increasing bacterial spore production

Bacillus spores are applied in plant and feed health applications, as they combine the useful properties of Bacillus species with a high ease-of-use and long shelf life. For the production of such spores, yeast extracts such as Ohly’s X-SEED^® KAT are often used to obtain high yields.

In this study the performance of Ohly’s X-SEED^® KAT was compared with three other yeast extracts for the production of Bacillus thuringiensis spores. Two of the yeast extracts are commercially available at industrial scale, while the third one is a product generally used for laboratory scale testing.

The study clearly showed that X-SEED^® KAT outperforms other yeast extracts for the production of Bacillus spores.

Key observations –

• Choosing the right yeast extract can be crucial for obtaining maximum spore production.
• X-SEED^® KAT resulted in the highest spore counts and best process productivity. 
• All tested yeast extracts yielded 95% sporulation, although significant differences were observed in spore counts.
• Use of X-SEED^® KAT increased final spore numbers by 21% – 31% when compared to other yeast extracts.