Isolation and Identification of Bacteriocin Producers from Bayburt Local Fermented Dairy and Characterization of Bacteriocins

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have antimicrobial activity due to their bacteriocin production. Using bacteriocins in the production of foods has considerable contributions to improving food safety and extending shelf life. One of the essential characteristics of bacteriocins is that they have structural variations according to the variety of producers and, accordingly, they have different antimicrobial activity spectrums. Therefore, new bacteriocins still need to be investigated and characterized. In this study, bacteriocin-producing LAB were isolated from local fermented dairy of Bayburt and these bacteria were identified. The antimicrobial spectrum of bacteriocin-producing strains was then determined and their sensitivity to different temperatures and enzymes was characterized. Bacteriocin producing LAB were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Enterococuus faecium, respectively. Theese strains were found to be antibacterial against 7, 6 and 4 different pathogens, respectively. It was determined that bacteriocins produced by all LAB lost their activity upon treatment with proteolytic enzymes and had a protein nature. Bacteriocins were found to be stable after 100 C for 10 minutes, 80 C for 10 minutes and 80 C for 15 minutes heat treatment, respectively.