An ecological study of lactic acid bacteria from Almagro eggplant fermentation brines

Aim: Identification of the predominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) involved in spontaneous fermentations of Almagro eggplants, and evaluation of the biodiversity by molecular typing. Methods and Results: Almagro eggplant fermentations in three factories (A, B and C) enjoying Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status were monitored by chemical and microbiological analysis of brines. LAB isolates from brines were identified by phenotypic analysis and by species-specific PCR reactions and typed by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR. All isolates from factories A and C belonged to the genus Lactobacillus (Lact.), whereas isolates from factory B belonged to Lactobacillus (50%), Leuconostoc (Ln.) (25%) and Lactococcus (Lc.) (25%); 1.9% of this microbiota was considered cosmopolitan. The genera Leuconostoc and Lactococcus and the species Lact. acidophilus and Lact. paracasei had never previously been reported in Almagro eggplant fermentations. Conclusion: Considerable differences in the composition of the lactic acid microbiota participating in the Almagro eggplant fermentations exist. Brine NaCl concentration has a notable influence both in number and in the species participating. Significance and Impact: The original aspect of this work consists of an ecological study of the LAB taking part in spontaneous Almagro eggplant fermentations from different factories. Participation of Leuconostoc and Lactococcus species and of Lact. acidophilus and Lact. paracasei, which had never before been described for this pickle, and the evidence that a lactic fermentation does not always take place, were the most relevant results.