A total of 92 enterococci, isolated from the faeces of minipigs subjected to an in vivo feeding trial, were screened for the production of antimicrobial substances. Bacteriocin production was confirmed for seven strains, of which four were identified as Enterococcus faecalis and three as Enterococcus faecium, on the basis of physiological and biochemical characteristics. The bacteriocins produced by the Ent. faecalis strains showed a narrow spectrum of activity, mainly against other Enterococcus spp., compared with those from the Ent. faecium strains showing a broader spectrum of activity, against indicator strains of Enterococcus spp., Listeria spp., Clostridium spp. and Propionibacterium spp. The bacteriocins of all seven Enterococcus strains were inactivated by alpha-chymotrypsin, proteinase K, trypsin, pronase, pepsin and papain, but not by lipase, lysozyme and catalase. The bacteriocins were heat stable and displayed highest activity at neutral pH. The molecular weight of the bacteriocins, as determined by tricine SDS-PAGE, was approximately 3.4 kDa. Only the strains of Ent. faecalis were found to contain plasmids. PCR detection revealed that the bacteriocins produced by Ent. faecium BFE 1170 and BFE 1228 were similar to enterocin A, whereas those produced by Ent. faecium BFE 1072 displayed homology with enterocin L50A and B.

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Aim:  The study aimed to evaluate the effect of the bacteriocins produced by Lactobacillus sakei CWBI‐B1365 and Lactobacillus curvatus CWBI‐B28 on the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes in raw beef and poultry meat. Methods and Results:  The sakacin P and sakacin G structural genes were identified in Lact. curvatus CWBI‐B28 and Lact. sakei CWBI‐B1365 using PCR amplification, respectively. The effect of the two bacteriocinogenic strains either alone or together, and that of the nonbacteriocin‐producing strain Lact. sakei LMG17302, on the growth of L. monocytogenes was evaluated in beef and poultry meat. In raw beef, the pathogenic bacteria were inhibited by the bacteriocinogenic strains. The bacteriocinogenic strains had no activity in raw chicken meat when inoculated separately, while they showed a clear anti‐Listeria effect when applied together. Conclusion:  Sakacin G producing Lact. sakei and sakacin P producing Lact. curvatus may be applied in raw beef to inhibit L. monocytogenes. In poultry meat, the inhibition of L. monocytogenes could only be achieved by a combined application of these bacteriocin‐producing strains. Significance and Impact of the Study:  In some meat products, the combined application of different class IIa bacteriocin producing lactic acid bacterium can enhance the anti‐listerial activity.

Four bacteriocin producing lactic acid bacteria isolated from vegetables were identified as Lactococcus lactis strains on the basis of physiological and biochemical characteristics, carbohydrate fermentation patterns and analysis of total soluble protein pattern by SDS PAGE. The bacteriocins had a wide spectrum of activity as antagonism was detected not only towards a variety of lactic acid bacteria, but also to Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. These bacteriocins were resistant to heating at 121 degree C for 15 minutes and showed highest activity at low pH (<5.0). They were inactivated by the proteolytic enzymes alpha-chymotrypsin and proteinase K, but not by lipase, alpha-amylase, catalase or lysozyme. These bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus strains were all immune to the bacteriocins produced as well as to commercial nisin. Bacteriocin producer culture supernatants showed a high degree (70 or 100%) of cross-reactivity in the nisin ELISA, suggesting similarity of the produced bacteriocins to nisin. The potential application of bacteriocin producing lactococci of vegetable origin for safety assurance of vegetable foods and controlling vegetable fermentations is discussed.