PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF LACTOBACILLUS STRAINS ISOLATED FROM DRY-FERMENTED SAUSAGES ON MUSCLE SARCOPLASMIC PROTEINS

The proteolytic activity of seven strains of Lactobacillus from two sp ecies isolated from dry cured sausages was assayed using a soluble mus cle extract as a source of proteins, at a temperature of 30 degrees C. The results indicated that the strains of Lactobacillus plantarum tes ted had the more active proteolytic system, showing the highest amino acid release in the medium after 72 hr of incubation (L. plantarum CRL 681) when the microorganism was in the stationary phase of growth. Th e strains of L. casei showed a continued hydrolytic activity with a lo wer amino acids concentration along the studied period. The SDS-PAGE p rofiles showed that the major changes in sarcoplasmic proteins were pr oduced in the 13 kDa and 36-40 kDa molecular weights region. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.