Selection of Lactic Acid Bacteria as Starter Cultures for Fermented Meat Products

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to select a lactic acid bacterial strain for use as a starter culture for producing fermented meat products and for evaluating the survival ability in the gastrointestinal tract. Five strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from funazushi, a traditional fermented fish product in Japan, and their bile and simulated digestive juice tolerances were evaluated to screen their survival in gastrointestinal tracts. Growth in a ground meat patty was evaluated by counting viable cells and measuring pH. Lactobacillus plantarum JAB2001 was capable of growth on 10 % NaCl and exhibited tolerance to bile acids and simulated gastrointestinal juices. After incubation with this strain at 25°C for 48 h a ground beef patty showed pH values of about 4.8 and lactic acid bacterial counts at the 10⁹ level per gram of patty. Coliform bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus were unable to proliferate in the meat patty with strain JAB 2001, which is thus suitable for use as a starter culture of fermented meat products.