title: Effects of initial air removal methods on microorganisms and characteristics of fermented plant beverages.
abstract: The effects of 3 different methods for removing the initial air on the properties of fermented plant beverages produced from phom-nang seaweed (Gracilaria fisheri) and wild forest noni (Morinda coreia Ham.) were investigated. Only method M which covered the space above the fermentation liquid with a water filled plastic bag produced no surface film of yeast, had the highest acidity and also antibacterial activity from both plants after 90 days of fermentation. However, the yeast count still exceeded the standard guidelines for plant beverages. The fermented beverage from wild forest noni showed more antibacterial activity against 3 of 4 pathogenic bacteria tested than that from the phomnang seaweed, probably for its higher levels of acidity and ethanol content. Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) isolated from the fermentation samples from days 1-5 using the method M from both fermented plant beverages were Leuconostoc mesenteroides supsp. mesenteroides and Leu. mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum while presence of Lactobacilus plantarum was only recorded at days 4-5 in the wild forest noni beverage. From days 6-14 the isolates were Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactobacillus brevis from wild forest noni beverage, whereas only L. brevis was not detected in the seaweed beverage. During days 21-45 both beverages had a similar LAB population of L. plantarum and L. brevis while L. coryniformis was only found in the wild forest noni beverage. Between days 60-90 in both plant beverages only L. plantarum and Lactobacillius sp. were detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai 90112, Thailand.
authors.forename: Duangporn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kantachote
authors.forename: Wilawan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Charernjiratrakul
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D001628:Beverages; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005285:Fermentation; D005516:Food Microbiology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D015003:Yeasts / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism