Isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria from boza, and their microbial activity against several reporter strains

A total of 45 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from 10 different boza samples consumed in Turkey. The isolates were identified with respect to colonial, cellular morphology, and biochemical characters based on API CHL50 (Biomérieux) kit and also automated riboprinting was used to identify of the isolates. These isolates were tested for inhibitory activity against food-borne bacterial pathogens. Antimicrobial effects of these lactic acid bacteria were determined by the agar spot test and also agar diffusion method. As a result of the RiboPrinter® Microbial Characterization System (DuPont Qualicon) lactic acid bacteria isolates having antimicrobial activity (45 isolates) were identified as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (2 isolates), Leuconostoc citreum (5 isolates), Lactobacillus brevis (4 isolates), Lactobacillus plantarum (24 isolates), Lactobacillus paraplantarum (1 isolate), Enterococcus faecium (1 isolate), Lactobacillus graminis (4 isolates), Pediococcus species (1 isolate), and Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei (3 isolates). In addition, the amount of lactic acid produced by lactic acid bacteria was minimum 0.16 mg/mL with Y-12 isolate and maximum 7.79 mg/mL with KB13 isolate, hydrogen peroxide minimum 0.69 μg/mL with Z-12 isolate and maximum 2.18 μg/mL with X-13 isolate, and proteolytic activity 0.04 mg/mL with Y-12 isolate and maximum 2.57 mg/mL with KB13 isolate.