ANTIBACTERIAL AND BIOPRESERVATIVE EFFECT OF BACTERIOCIN PRODUCED BY ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM

Bacteriocin producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from fermented foods are of great significance because of their potential use as antibacterial activity against similar or closely related bacterial strains. The present study was focused on detection of antibacterial activity of bacteriocin producing LAB from fermented green gram batter. The three isolates (A3R, A5R and A8R) were identified as Enterococcus faecium by 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA). The bacteriocin of three isolates was evaluated for antagonistic activity against indicator organisms, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staph aureus and Escherichia coli. The bacteriocin of A3R and A5R inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa and S .aureus. The growth of E. coli was inhibited by bacteriocin of A5R and A8R, not inhibited by bacteriocin of A3R. The study revealed high bacteriocin production by A5R. The sensitivity of the extracted bacteriocin to proteolytic enzymes, indicated the proteinaceous nature of bacteriocin. The preservative effect of ascorbic acid was enhanced in presence of bacteriocin of A3R, indicating its suitability as biopreservative agent in coconut water. The isolation and identification of Enterococcus faecium is one of the lactic acid bacteria involved in green gram fermentation and production of bacteriocin.