**2.3. Physico – Chemical analysis**

Metabolic activity of the strain LA-5 in the conditions mentioned above was evaluated based on the dynamics of pH, respectively end products of fermentation. The pH values were measured with a HACH pH-meter. Lactic acid was determined using commercial kits (K-DLATE from Megazyme International). The calculations were made with Megazyme Mega-CalcTM and expressed as g lactic acid/l. Reducing sugars were analyzed applying the spectrophotometric method with 3.5-dinitrosalicilic acid (DNS) after the removing of other substances with reducing character using basic lead acetate and expressed as g glucose/l. Ascorbic acid was determined applying the 2,6-dichloroindophenol titrimetic method, based on the reduction of the sodium salt of the dye by ascorbic acid (AOAC method). It was expressed as mg/100ml. The amino acids content, expressed as g glycine/100ml, was determined through the Sörensen method.
