Isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria from soil using an enrichment procedure

Aims: To survey, and identify and classify the ecological distribution of lactic acid bacteria from soil in Japan and Taiwan. Methods and Results: Acid-producing bacteria were isolated from 68 soil samples, collected from Japan and Taiwan, in the rhizospheres of fruit trees, from the floor of a henhouse and around a horse farm. All isolates were identified by physiological and genetic tests. Thirty-two of the 54 isolates were identified as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), 16 as spore-forming lactic acid bacteria, five as Clostridium and one as Bacillus. These lactic acid bacteria represent five genera: Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Leuconostoc and Weissella. Conclusions: A high rate of isolating lactic acid bacteria was obtained from soil. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study suggests that soil may be a common source for the isolation of lactic acid bacteria.