Antifungal Activity of Bacteria Isolated from Sauerkraut and its partial Characterization

Abstract

Sauerkraut is known to be the fermented product of a cabbage that is caused by an action of lactic acid bacteria or LAB which is naturally present in the air. The fermentation of lactic acid increases the shelf life of any vegetables and fruits. The valuable properties that includes the flavour, nutritive value and decreases the toxicity is also augmented. A completely cured sauerkraut can be kept for few months in a container which is airtight in room temperature. The fermented vegetables and fruits can be used as capable source of the probiotics as they harbour few LAB like L. Fermentum, L. Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis etc. The core objective of current study is to isolate the LAB from the sauerkraut which is produced in the laboratory that can be used as the potent bio-control mediator to control vegetables and fruit spoiling the pathogenic fungi. In present study, a lactic acid producing bacteria has been isolated (ISAK-2), which is rod shaped, gram positive and breed optimally at a pH 4.5 in the MRS broth media. Bacteria was tried against fungal pathogens that is isolated from rotten fruits like Custard Apple (Annona reticulate), Papaya (Carica papaya), Pomegranate (Punica granatum) and rotten vegetables like Capsicum (Capsicum annuum), sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) and Pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica). It was noticed from the study that the bacterial soup was able to constrain growth of fungi in the agar plate.