GROWTH-INHIBITION OF LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES BY A BACTERIOCIN OF PEDIOCOCCUS-ACIDILACTICI M DURING FERMENTATION OF KIMCHI

Four lactic acid bacteria Known to produce bacteriocins were evaluated for the inhibitory effect against Listeria monocytogenes strain Scott A. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis 26-2 was the least antilisterial, whereas Pediococcus acidilactici M resulted in the Largest zone of inhibition on an agar medium. Leuconostoc paramesenteroides OX and Lactobacillus sake Lb 706 were intermediate. Aqueous solutions of crude bacteriocin powders derived from supernatant fluids of L. sake Lb 706 and P. acidilactici M cultures inhibited the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum UGA8 in MRS agar. The addition. of 10 mg of crude bacteriocin powder from L. sake to 150 g of kimchi fermented at 14 +/- 1 degrees C for 16 days had no effect on the growth of L. monocytogenes. The same amount of crude bacteriocin derived from P. acidilactici, however, had an initial lethal effect on L. monocytogenes and controlled growth of the pathogen throughout the 16-day fermentation. The successful application of bacteriocins to control the growth of L. monocytogenes in lightly fermented foods such as kimchi would appear to be achievable.