Isolation and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Traditional Fermented Sushi, Funazushi, from Japan

Abstract

The lactic acid bacterial flora in commercial and homemade Funazushi (fermented crucian carp and rice) were investigated. Funazushi is a fermented fish product that continues to be produced in the traditional style in Japan. Lactic acid bacteria in four commercial and five homemade Funazushi were enumerated. The viable counts of commercial samples ranged from 3.0 × 10³ to 2.7 × 10⁵ cfu/g, with an average of 2.4 × 10⁴ cfu/g, while the viable counts of homemade samples ranged from 2.0 × 10² to 2.6 × 10⁷ cfu/g, with an average of 1.3 × 10⁵ cfu/g. Twenty-seven lactic acid bacteria isolates were obtained from the commercial samples, and identified as Streptococcus salivarius, Lactobacillus buchneri, and Lactobacillus parabuchneri. Forty-eight isolates were obtained from the homemade samples, and identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lb. buchneri, Lactobacillus alimentarius, Lactobacillus farciminis, Lactobacillus acidipiscis, and Lactobacillus casei. Lb. buchneri was the predominant species in commercial Funazushi, while Lb. plantarum and Lb. buchneri were the predominant species in the homemade products.