Three undefined mixed cultures (activated sludge) from different municipal wastewater treatment plants
were used as seeds in a novel lactic acid fermentation process fed with potato peel waste (PPW). Anaer-
obic sequencing batch fermenters were run under identical conditions to produce predominantly lactic
acid. Illumina sequencing was used to examine the 16S rRNA genes of bacteria in the three seeds and fer-
menters. Results showed that the structure of microbial communities of three seeds were different. All
three fermentation products had unique community structures that were dominated (>96%) by species
of the genus Lactobacillus, while members of this genus constituted