Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum on the survival of acid-tolerant non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains in fermented goat’s milk

Abstract

The ability of goat’s milk fermented with a Lactobacillus plantarum strain B411, and in combination with commercial starter culture, to inhibit acid-adapted (AA) and non-acid-adapted (NAA) environmental non-O157 STEC strains was investigated. Acid-adapted and NAA non-O157 STEC strains were not inhibited in the L. plantarum-fermented goat’s milk, while the goat’s milk fermented with the combination of L. plantarum and starter culture inhibited AA more than NAA non-O157 STEC strains. Environmental acid-tolerant non-O157 STEC strains were not inhibited by L. plantarum, starter culture or combination of starter culture with L. plantarum unless they were subjected to prior acid adaptation such as backslopping.