TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM TRADITIONAL PICKLES.

In order to select eligible strains as starter cultures for the production of pickles and other fermented vegetable products, the technological characterization of the 75 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains was performed on the basis of salt tolerance, growth at different pH values, acid production ability, enzymatic profile and biogenic amine production. The technological characterization revealed that, among the tested LAB species (Lactobacillus plantarum, L. brevis, L. buchneri, L. namurensis, L. parabrevis, Pediococcus ethanolidurans, P. parvulus and Enterococcus casseliflavus), L. plantarum species showed the most suitable characteristics. The investigated L. plantarum strains, except for one strain (MF219), could be considered as potential starter cultures because of their desirable properties of having high rate and extent of acidification, high tolerance to pH 4.0 and 10% NaCl, and non-production of biogenic amines. It was also important to note that the tested P. ethanolidurans strains showed high salt tolerance and acid production. Most of the tested strains shared similar enzymatic characteristics including absence of proteolytic and lypolitic activities, and presence of peptidase, glucosidase and galactosidase activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]