FERMENTATION OF PREFERMENTED AND EXTRUDED RICE FLOUR BY THE LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA FROM SIKHAE

The acid- and flavor-forming properties of Lactobacillus plantarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides isolated from Sikhae, a Korean traditional lactic acid fermented fish product, were examined and compared to those of Lactobacillus casei and Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis DRC3. The effects of prefermentation of rice flour in solid-state with Bacillus laevolacticus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, extrusion cooking and addition of soymilk as the substrate of lactic acid fermentation were tested. Extrusion cooking and prefermentation of rice increased the soluble solid and sugar contents before malt digestion. The amount of sugar consumption during lactic fermentation varied with the type of bacteria. Leuconostoc mesenteroides(sikhae) and Lactobacillus plantarum(sikhae) increased up to 6 times of original cell number by 24 hrs of fermentation in rice + soymilk substrate, but Lactococcus lactis decreased in the same substrates. The final pH of the cereal lactic beverage was in the range of 3.4 - 4.1, L. mesenteroides(sikhae) had relatively higher pH compared to other lactic acid bacteria. L. mesenteroides(sikhae) produced apple juice-like flavor, while L. plantarum, L. casei and L. lactis yielded objectionable off-flavor. The HPLC analysis shoved that the lactic ferment of L. mesenteroides(sikhae) contained relatively small amount of lactic acid and malic acid which vas not detected in other microorganisms tested.