Bacteriocins from Pediococcus pentosaceus L and S from pork meat.

Two strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus were isolated from refrigerated pork and found to produce antimicrobial substances that may inhibit foodborne pathogens and have potential as natural food preservatives. They were named P. pentosaceus L and S. The antimicrobial substances were purified to electrophoretical homogeneity by chloroform extraction and designated pentocins L and S with molecular masses (M) of 27 and 25 kDa, respectively. Both pentocins also had broad inhibition spectra and were thermostable. They inhibit the growth of tested spore-forming G+ and G- strains and the germination of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 10225, B. subtilis ATCC 10254, and Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 spores. The inhibition activities decreased as the glucose in the medium decreased from 8.0 to 2.0%.