In this study, the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) -producing Lactobacillus buchneri 1001 strain, isolated from kaburazushi (a regional specialty food of Japan's Toyama Prefecture consisting of pickled fish, rice, and turnip), was employed to prepare fermented butter-like food. GABA was effectively produced during fermentation by inoculating sodium glutamate-containing fresh cream with L. buchneri 1001 together with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Furthermore, using freeze-drying instead of the churning process traditionally used after fermentation resulted in the production of fermented butter-like food with high GABA content, as well as a greater amount of protein and carbohydrates. The resulting fermented butter-like food met compositional standards, and its organoleptic characteristics were found to be as good as those of commercially available products.
