Japanese Journal of Dairy and Food Science. 41 (1992)

Study 1:

【Objective】

We isolated and identified lactic acid bacteria from a total of 16 samples of alcoholic drink, side-dish foods and fermented sauces in Southeast Asia. Subsequently, we screened highly functional lactic acid bacteria from them.

【Methods】

We measured the pH level and salt concentration in the samples. We used the BCP plate count agar culture and MRS agar culture in order to isolate the lactic acid bacteria from the 16 samples and selected 189 strains. We performed a test to identify the isolated strains.

【Results】

The classification of 189 identified strains is as the following: 68 strains of Lactobacillus, 47 strains of Leuconostoc, 67 strains of Streptococcus (currently known as Enterococcus) and 7 strains of Pediococcus.

Subsequent to the test for identification, we evaluated salt, acid and heat tolerance, acid production, protein hydrolysis and aroma production of the isolated strains. Based on our comprehensive evaluation, we determined Enterococcus faecalis TH10 which was isolated from Tempeh as our proprietary functional lactic acid bacteria.

Study 2:

【Objective】

We used the lactic acid bacteria which were isolated from fermented foods in Southeast Asia in order to examine the protein hydrolysis which essential for the fermentation of OM-X extract.

【Methods】

We used the colorimetry method for the measurement of the proteolytic property. We disseminated lactic acid bacteria to a skim milk medium which did not contain salt and cultured it for 24 hours. After various treatments, we mixed Folin reagent and measured color development of blue with a spectrophotometer. We assayed quantity of free tyrosine for the index.

【Results】

We selected 46 strains out of 189 isolated strains and used them for testing. In the skin milk medium which did not contain salt, Enterococcus faecalis TH10 demonstrated the highest proteolytic property and its quantity of free tyrosine was 1.32mg/5ml. All other strains showed 0.01~0.2mg/5ml, and we found that TH10 lactic acid bacteria showed 6.25 times greater proteolytic property than other strains.