Abstract
The bacteriocins produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis C101910 (C101910) and NBRC 12007 (NBRC 12007) were used to prevent the growth of Lactobacillus hilgardii, a hiochi bacterium, at the mizu-koji stage in the sake brewing process. The bacteriocins produced by C101910 and NBRC 12007 were slowly inactivated in the koji extract by proteases, depending on the pH and temperature of the koji extract. However, the activities of bacteriocins from C101910 and NBRC 12007 remained about 50% and 70% of the initial values, respectively, even after incubation at pH 3 and 10℃ for 12 h. By adding the bacteriocin solutions, prepared according to the method reported previously, from C101910 and NBRC 12007 to koji extract (pH 3 and 10℃) at a volume ratio of 5% (v/v) and 1% (v/v), respectively, the number of viable L. hilgardii cells decreased to below the detection limit (1.0×102 cells/ml) from the initial concentration (3.2×105 cells/ml) within 12 h. In mizu-koji consisting of rice koji and lactic acid solution at pH 3 and 10℃, the growth-inhibitory effect of bacteriocins from C101910 and NBRC 12007 on L. hilgardii decreased as compared with that in koji extract. However, the number of viable L. hilgardii cells decreased by more than two orders of magnitude as compared with the initial value (1.0×105 cells/ml) by adding the bacteriocin solution at a volume ratio of 10% (v/v).
