title: Improved sauerkraut production with probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum L4 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides LMG 7954.
abstract: Probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum L4 and strain Leuconostoc mesenteroides LMG 7954 were applied for the controlled fermentation of cabbage heads. The parameters of the controlled and spontaneous fermentations, including antimicrobial effect of cabbage brines obtained at the end of both fermentations, were monitored. To check out the influence of starter culture strains, 10 randomly chosen lactic acid bacteria, isolated at the end of controlled cabbage heads fermentation were identified by API 50 CHL test, and the presence of the probiotic culture was confirmed by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis. The starter cultures applied for cabbage heads fermentation allowed lowering of NaCl concentrations from 4.0% to 2.5% (w/v), considerably accelerated fermentation process by 14 d, and improved the product quality. The produced sauerkraut heads are considered probiotic product as viable probiotic cells count in final product was higher than 10(6) colony-forming units (CFU) per gram of product.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this research could be applied in the production of fermented cabbage heads with added functional (probiotic) value and with lower NaCl concentration with expected shortened fermentation time. This could not only be of economic but also of ecological importance.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Univ of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Jasna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beganović
authors.forename: Andreja Leboš
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pavunc
authors.forename: Krešimir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gjuračić
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spoljarec
authors.forename: Jagoda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sušković
authors.forename: Blaženka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kos
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis; D001937:Brassica / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods; D005285:Fermentation; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D007934:Leuconostoc / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D019936:Probiotics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012492:Salts / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012492:Salts; C017082:brine; D019344:Lactic Acid