Abstract
In this study, some probiotic properties such as bile salt tolerance, survival in low pH and in presence of phenol, tolerance to simulated gastric juice, resistance to lysozyme, hydrophobicity and autoaggregation abilities of Pediococcus acidilactici and P. pentasaceus strains isolated from sausages produced without starter were investigated. It was determined that all of the isolates were inactivated at the first measurement at pH 1 and at the end of the first hour at pH 3. At pH 5, all Pediococcus strains preserved their viability at a rate of 67.02-95.42% during the four-hour incubation period. P. acidilactici OBS62 strain grew at a rate of 2.32% in 0.4% phenol, while other strains maintained viability at a rate of 69.94-99.89%. In 100 ppm lysozyme application, the % viability of the strains was found between 90.90 and 107.40. All Pediococcus strains were inactivated in the trials of artificial gastric juice containing 0.3% pepsin. It was determined that there was an increase in the number of cells in all of the strains with the application of 0.3% and 0.5% bile salt. In 1% bile salt application, P. acidilactici OBS54 and P. pentasaceus OBS56 strains preserved their viability, while an increase in the number of cells was detected in other strains. The hydrophobicity rates of Pediococcus strains were found to be between 61.42% and 97.40%, and their autoaggregation abilities were found to be between 17.3% and 64.78%. As a result, it is thought that the isolates can be used as probiotic cultures by increasing their resistance to harsh environmental conditions created by the stomach by microencapsulation.