SAFETY ASSESSMENT AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF THE LACTIC ACID BACTERIA STRAINS ISOLATED FROM POLISH RAW FERMENTED MEAT PRODUCTS

Twenty one strains of the genus <i>Lactobacillus</i> and the genus <i>Pediococcus</i>, isolated from Polish raw fermented meat products, were examined for the potential probiotic properties: resistance to simulated gastric and intestine conditions, safety assessment and antimicrobial properties. Strains were resistant to gastric enzymes and low pH (3-6 log CFU/mL decrease) and intestinal enzymes and bile salts (1-3 log CFU/mL decrease). Most strains were resistant to gentamycin, streptomycin, vancomycin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and kanamycin. Three of them (<i>Lb. brevis</i> BAL1, BAL10, KL5) produced β-glucuronidase, which excluded them as safe. Seven strains had the ability to produce bacteriocins or bacteriocin-like substances. Overall, strains <i>Lb. brevis</i> SCH6, <i>Pd. pentosaceus</i> BAL6 and KL14 revealed selected superior characteristics (resistance to the gastrointestinal conditions, safety assessment and antimicrobial properties) as compared to the other LAB strains investigated, which made them a viable bioprotective culture that can be inoculated in raw fermented meat products as starter cultures.