Amino acid decarboxylase activities and biogenic amine formation abilities of lactic acid bacteria isolated from shalgam

Abstract

56 lactic acid bacteria were isolated during shalgam fermentation and identified as Lactobacillus spp. (51 isolates), Lactococcus spp. (3 isolates), Streptococcus sp. (one isolate), and Leuconostoc sp. (one isolate). 53 of all isolates decarboxylated both arginine and tyrosine, while others decarboxyl ated one of arginine or tyrosine. None of the isolates could decarboxylate histidine, ornithine, lysine, phenylalanine, or tryptophan. All isolates produced both agmatine (105.8-867.5 mg L-1) and tyramine (24.5-649.7 mg L-1). Although none of the isolates displayed ornithine decarboxylase activity, putrescine was produced (2.1-33.3 mg L-1) by all isolates, except one Lactobacillus strain. Therefore, lactic acid bacteria seem to be responsible mainly for tyramine and agmatine formation during shalgam fermentation, as well as a small amount of putrescine.