Yogurt production using exo-polysaccharide-producing Leuconostoc and Weissella isolates from kimchi

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing Leuconostoc and Weissella isolates from kimchi as a probiotic starter and replacement for thickening agents such as pectin and gums in yogurt. Potential probiotic isolates were first screened for their acid and bile tolerance, and then evaluated for antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium. When the selected Leuconostoc or Weissella isolates were co-inoculated in yogurt without a thickening agent, the yogurt with 4% sucrose produced lower syneresis values than the control and had higher EPS yields. The isolates were able to survive at a level of 106 CFU/mL when incubated at 4°C for 12 days. This study shows that EPS-producing Leuconostoc and Weissella strains have the potential to produce a synbiotic yogurt.