Abstract
The biopreservation of foods using bacteriocinogenic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated directly from foods is an innovative approach. The objectives of this study were to isolate and identify bacteriocinogenic LAB from various cheeses and yogurts and evaluate their antimicrobial effects on selected spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms in vitro as well as on a food commodity.LAB were isolated using MRS and M17 media. The agar diffusion bioassay was used to screen for bacteriocin or bacteriocin-like substances (BLS) producing LAB using Lactobacillus sakei and Listeria innocua as indicator organisms. Out of 138 LAB isolates, 28 were found to inhibit these bacteria and were identified as strains of Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus sakei subsp. sakei using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Eight isolates were tested for antimicrobial activity at 5°C and 20°C against L. innocua, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Erwinia carotovora, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides using the agar diffusion bioassay, and also against Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea and Monilinia frucitcola using the microdilution plate method. The effect of selected LAB strains on L. innocua inoculated onto fresh-cut onions was also investigated.Twenty percent of our isolates produced BLS inhibiting the growth of L. innocua and/or Lact. sakei. Organic acids and/or H2O2 produced by LAB and not the BLS had strong antimicrobial effects on all microorganisms tested with the exception of E. coli. Ent. faecium, Strep. thermophilus and Lact. casei effectively inhibited the growth of natural microflora and L. innocua inoculated onto fresh-cut onions. Bacteriocinogenic LAB present in cheeses and yogurts may have potential to be used as biopreservatives in foods.
Highlights
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are generally recognized as safe (GRAS microorganisms) and play an important role in food and feed fermentation and preservation either as the natural microflora or as starter cultures added under controlled conditions
Twenty percent of isolates showed antimicrobial activity against at least one indicator that is presumed to be attributable to bacteriocin-like substances (BLS), which was determined after the neutralization of pH, and the elimination of H2O2 from the cell-free supernatant (CFS) (Table 1)
When Lact. sakei was used as an indicator, the BLS produced by the different LAB stains had varying activity following treatment with these enzymes
Summary
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are generally recognized as safe (GRAS microorganisms) and play an important role in food and feed fermentation and preservation either as the natural microflora or as starter cultures added under controlled conditions. Substantial work has been done on the effectiveness of nisin on various spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms such as L. monocytogenes and its application in different food products (Staszewski and Jagus 2008; Freitas et al 2008; Schillinger et al 2001). Other bacteriocins such as pediocin, may have potential applications in foods, though they are not currently approved as antimicrobial food additives (Naghmouchi et al 2007)
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