CHARACTERIZATION OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA FROM TRADITIONAL THAI FERMENTED SAUSAGES

Lactic acid bacteria from traditional Thai fermented sausages were characterized. The fermented sausages were mainly produced from minced pork/beef or pork/beef liver. Sixty five strains were isolated from 12 samples collected from the central and northeastern parts of Thailand. The strains were identified by conventional morphological, cultural, physiological and biochemical tests as well as by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The isolates were identified as Weissella cibaria/kimchii (5), W. confusa (3), Pediococcus pentosaceus (20), P. acidilactici (2), Lactobacillus fermentum (3), L. brevis (4), L. farciminis (4), L. plantarum (23), and L. sakei (1). Some of these species have not been previously isolated from Thai fermented sausages. The inhibition tests against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus showed that 5 isolates could inhibit the growth of B. cereus and 2 of them could also inhibit S. aureus. The isolates were identified as W. confusa (1), P. acidilactici (1), L. plantarum (3). Three strains identified as L. plantarum and one as Weissella spp. could produce diacetyl.

Keywords
fermented sausage, lactic acid bacteria, Weissella, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, 16S DNA, diacetyl, bacteriocin.