Selection of psychrotrophic Leuconostocs producing highly active dextransucrase
Leuconostocs are a diversified group of heterofermantative lactic acid bacteria commonly found in the initial phase of vegetable fermented foods and they play improtant roles for produing carbon dioxide and flavor compounds. Leuconostocs are used as starter culture in the manufacture of various fermented foods. Leuxonostocs also secrete dextransucrase, which catalyzes the transfer reaction of glucose from sucrose to maltose, synthesizing mainly oligosaccharide. To increase the oligosaccharide production during food fermentation, we screened psychrotrophic Leuconostocs producing highly active dextransucrase from vegetable fermented foods, and studied their fermentation characteristics. The selected four strains were indentified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides, which can be used as function added-starters for fermented foods.