Acta Chimica Slovaca (ACS) publishes papers on fundamental and applied aspects of chemistry, biochemistry, chemical technology, chemical engineering and process control, biotechnology and food technology. Welcome are also topics which include chemical aspects of materials, physical chemistry and chemical physics, analytical chemistry, macromolecular chemistry and biomedical engineering.

Antimicrobial activity of selected lactic acid cocci and production of organic acids

Zuzana Hladíková *, Jana Smetanková, Gabriel Greif, Mária Greifová

Institute of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

E-mail: * zuzana.hladikova@stuba.sk

Abstract: Antimicrobial activity and production of organic acids by selected lactic acid bacteria were monitored in this study. The largest antimicrobial activity against indicator microorganisms showed Pediococcus sp. G5, whereas Streptococcus thermophilus had no inhibitory effect. The inhibitory effect of Pediococcus sp. G5 was strongest against Bacillus subtilis (17.78 %). Lactococci inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus (% of inhibition ≤ 5.25). The growth of Asperglillus flavus, Penicillium funiculosum and Rhizopus oryzae was not inhibited by all of tested cocci. Cocci produced varying quantities of organic acids (lactic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, etc.). Lactic acid was in large amounts and phenyllactic acid was produced only by Pediococcus sp. G5 (49.65 mg/L).

Keywords: antimicrobial activity, Lactococcus lactis, organic acids, Pediococcus sp., Streptococcus thermophilus

Full paper in Portable Document Format: acs_0113.pdf

Acta Chimica Slovaca, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2012, pp. 80—85