dc.description.abstract | Lactic acid is needed as an industrial feed, especially for applications in the food sector. However, by using a microbial production still uses food material as a substrate. Alternative substrates for the production of lactic acid is needed in industry. Molasses are potential substrates due to the richness in carbon. Molasses also widely available and low-cost material. The objective of the research is molasses can be used as a carbon source needed by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus to produce lactic acid. This study consisted of hydrolysis and detoxification of molasses, analysis qualitative test of reducing sugar from molasses, analysis of total sugar by phenol sulfuric acid, determination of bacterial growth, production and extraction of lactic acid, and analysis of lactic acid using high performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that molasses can be used as an alternative carbon source as indicated by growth of bacteria when the media were given 0.5% molasses. Concentration of total sugar molasses was 1090 g/L. The reducing sugar test showed positive results for the Selliwanoff, Benedict, and Barfoed tests. The optimum of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus growth was at temperature of 42° C and 150 rpm of agitation. Production of lactic acid was conducted in 24 hours. The result of lactic acid from the production was 2.80%. The dry cell biomass was 0.002 g/ L at pH of fermentation media was 4.0. Analysis HPLC also showed that lactic acid was the product of fermentation | en |