Prevention of histamine formation in cheese by bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria

The susceptibility of 13 amine-forming lactobacilli to several bacteriocins was investigated by an agar diffusion assay. All strains were susceptible to nisin and to five bacteriocins of enterococcal origin, Pediocin PA-1, bavaricin A, lactococcin A, and a bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecalis 1061 did not show inhibitory activity, Two bacteriocin-producing enterococci and a nisin-producing Lactococcus lactis strain were employed as starters in separate cheese-making experiments. Outgrowth of histamine producer Lactobacillus buchneri St2A, which was added to the milk at levels of up to 190 CFU/ml, was almost completely inhibited, No histamine formation was detected in the cheeses made with bacteriocin-producing starters. In the control cheese without bacteriocin, St2A reached levels of 1.1 x 10(8) CFU/g, and 200 mg of histamine per kg was found after 4 months of ripening, To our knowledge, this is the first report of bacteriocin-mediated inhibition of histamine formation in foods.