摘要：The current environmental challenge is pushing food systems towards more sustainable models of production that require reorganizing of processes by re-using side products still containing nutrients. This work aimed at valorising a mix of bovine sweet whey and sunflower press cake, through targeted fermentation. After preliminary screening based on growth rate, final pH, lactose/galactose assimilation, phytase activity, six Lactic Acid Bacteria strains (
Lacticaseibacillus casei,
L. paracasei (2),
Lactococcus lactis,
Lentilactobacillus parakefiri and
Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides) and three yeasts (
Kluyveromyces lactis,
K. marxianus and
Torulaspora delbrueckii) were co-cultivated in pairs in microcosms (1-part ground press cake: 4-parts whey). All tested microorganisms were able to grow and acidify the blend: the LAB counts increased during the incubation (26 °C for 48 h) of +2.80 log CFU/g, whereas yeasts counts were of +1.98 log CFU/g, with significant differences among the different associations (
p < 0.01). Mould counts were always <3 log CFU/g. Interestingly, the bacterial contaminants count significantly varied in samples with different pairs of strains (
p < 0.001). Acidification level, acetic acid and ethanol contents were the limiting factors affecting the growth of spoilage micro-organisms. Best performances were attained in microcosms inoculated with
L. lactis or
L. paracasei and
K. lactis or
K. marxianus.
