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

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 degrees C for 48 h a ground beef patty showed pH values of about 4.8 and lactic acid bacterial counts at the 10(9) 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.