Microbiological study of naturally fermented Algerian green olives: isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts along with the effects of brine solutions obtained at the end of olive fermentation on Lactobacillus plantarum...

Abstract

The microflora of naturally fermented green olives produced in Western Algeria was studied over 15, 60 and 90 day fermentation periods. Different microorganisms (aerobic bacteria, coliforms, staphylococci, lactic acid bacteria, lactobacilli, enterococci, yeasts, psychrotrophs and lipolytic bacteria) were recorded at 15 and 60 days of fermentation. After 90 days (pH 4.40) of fermentation, the lactic acid bacteria population became dominant and persisted together with yeasts throughout the fermentation period. The lactic acid bacteria isolated (343 isolates) were identified as L. casei, L. rhamnosus, L. paracasei, L. plantarum, L. lactis subsp. lactis, E. faecalis, E. faecium and E. durans. The dominant species was L. plantarum. Yeasts were isolated from all samples (32 isolates) and were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Candida parapsilosis. Also, in this study we reported that brine solutions obtained at the end of olive fermentation were able to stimulate the growth of several L. plantarum strains

Keywords

• fermented olives
• lactic acid bacteria
• lactobacillus plantarum
• microbiology
• yeasts