The influence of several operating parameters on the critical flux in the separation of lactic acid-producing bacteria from fermentation broth was studied using a ceramic microfiltration membrane equipped with a permeate pump. The operating parameters studied were crossflow velocity over the membrane, bacterial cell concentration, protein concentration, and pH. The influence of the isoelectric point (IEP) of the membrane was also investigated. In the interval studied (5.3-10.8 m/s), the crossflow velocity had a marked effect on the critical flux. When the crossflow velocity was increased the critical flux also increased. The bacterial cells were retained by the membrane and the concentration of bacterial cells did not affect the critical flux in the interval studied (1.1-3.1 g/L). The critical flux decreased when the protein concentration was increased. It was found that the protein was adsorbed on the membrane surface and protein retention occurred even though the conditions were such that no filter cake was present on the membrane surface. When the pH of the medium was lowered from 6 to 5 land then further to 4) the critical flux decreased from 76 L/m(2)h to zero at both pH 5 and pH 4. This was found to be due to the fact that the lowering in pH had affected the physiology of the bacterial cells so that the bacteria tended to adhere to the membrane and to each other. The critical flux, for wheat flour hydrolysate without particles, was much lower (28 L/m(2)/h) when using a membrane with an IEP of 5.5 than the critical flux of a membrane with an IEP at pH 7 (96 L/m(2)h). This was found to be due to an increased affinity of the bacteria for the membrane with the lower IEP. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.