A MODIFIED AGAR MEDIUM FOR THE SCREENING OF PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF STARTER CULTURES FOR MEAT FERMENTATION PURPOSES

An agar medium, used in the screening of proteolyte activity of dairy- related bacteria, was adapted for assessing the proteolytic capacity o f bacteria which were of possible use in meat fermentations. Freeze dr ied myofibrils, extracted from pork muscle, were incorporated in the m edium. The agar plates were inoculated with 20 mu l of overnight cultu res of different starter strains, and incubated at 30 degrees C for 48 h. After incubation, proteolytic bacteria produced clear zones. Cooma ssie brilliant blue stain was employed to facilitate the detection of these zones. Proteolytic activity was confirmed in an enzymatic test. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.