Measuring Chemical Oxygen Demand of Cottage Cheese Whey Cultured with Kluyveromyces Fragilis

Abstract

A method previously used to measure the chemical oxygen demand of cheese whey cultured with Kluyveromyces fragilis appears to have detected considerably less chemical oxygen demand than was actually present. This study compared two methods for measuring chemical oxygen demand of such whey. The main difference between the two methods was the inclusion or exclusion of a refluxing apparatus during the heating process in determining chemical oxygen demand. Chemical oxygen demands measured by the method not using a reflux apparatus for whey after the aerobic growth of Kluyveromyces fragilis were 60 to 70% lower than those measured by the method with a reflux condenser. The difference increased as incubation time for the culturing process increased. Metabolites produced by the yeasts appeared to be responsible for the increasing differences from the two methods of analysis. © 1979, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.