INHIBITION OF LISTERIA IN DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGES BY THE BACTERIOCINOGENIC LACTOBACILLUS-SAKE CTC494

Lactobacillus sake CTC494 isolated from a naturally fermented sausage, produced an antibacterial agent active against selected strains of Listeria monocytogenes and L. innocua. The agent was bacteriolytic against L. monocytogenes and sensitive to proteolytic enzymes; it was identified as a bacteriocin and was designated as sakacin K. The ability of Lact. sake CTC494 to inhibit the growth of listeria, compared to a bacteriocinogenic negative control strain, was examined in a model sausage system and in dry fermented sausages. In dry fermented sausages Lact. sake CTC494 was able not only to suppress the growth of listeria but to diminish their number by 1.25 log compared to the non-bacteriocinogenic control strain. Thus, Lact. sake CTC494 has proved to be a good starter culture providing good organoleptical and sensorial qualities to the product and can be employed as a bioprotective starter culture in fermented meat products.