LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA IN A FERMENTED FISHERY PRODUCT, BURONG BANGUS

Analyses of the microflora of "burong bangus", a traditional fermented fish and rice product of the Philippines, revealed that a sequential type of fermentation with overlapping growth takes place. Streptococcus initiated the fermentation process and generally persisted up to the latter part of the fermentation. Pediococcus appeared next, but comprised only a small percentage of the microflora. Both Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus appeared on the 3rd day and were generally present up to the end of the fermentation, with Lactobacillus predominating among the microflora in the final days. In the course of characterizing the lactic acid bacteria involved in the fermenting rice-fish mixture, some isolates were found to be capable of hydrolyzing starch. These were revealed to be Gram positive, rod-shaped and catalase negative. Tentative identification of one of the isolates, L137, showed that this strain possesses very similar characteristics to those of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus coryniformis subsp. coryniformis. The % G + C of L137 was 45.2 while those of L. plantarum and L. coryniformis subsp. coryniformis are 45.1 and 45.0 respectively. However, L137 differs from the other two in its ability to utilize starch.