Abstract
Depending on the amount used and the strain of bacteria involved, nisin either kills lactic acid bacteria or inhibits their growth. In medium inoculated with approximately 105 cells ml−1 of a sensitive strain of Lactobacillus (BSO 375) nisin, added at levels recommended for commercial use (100 International Units ml−1, killed all the cells in less than 6 h. In the absence of nisin this inoculum grew to a concentration of 1010 cells ml−1 in about 50 h. Lower nisin concentrations killed fewer cells but inhibited the growth of those still viable. For the more resistant strain Lactobacillus (BSO 343) growth was only inhibited at the higher nisin concentrations. Nisin maintained its activity against lactic acid bacteria in brewing fermentations. It had no effect on the growth and fermentative performance of the 9 brewing yeast strains tested, and, in a pilot brewery fermentation, had no deleterious affect on the taste of the beer produced. Nisin could be used either as a preventative measure by regular addition to fermentations, or as a remedial measure once contamination by lactic acid bacteria had been detected.
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