Selection of Potential Lactic Acid Bacteria as a Candidate Probiotic on Cheese Making by Product Whey

Abstract

Whey is a by-product of the cheese-making process which may contain lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The objectives of this study were to isolate, identify, and characterize probiotic lactic acid bacteria from whey, a by-product of cheese production. This study consisted of three stages: (1) isolation, identification of LAB obtain from whey, a by product of cheese production, morphology, physiology, and biochemistry; (2) in vitro probiotic characteristics testing, including survival at pH 3, resistance to 0.3% bile salt media, and antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli: O157, Pseudomonas, Listeria inokua, and Klebsiella pneumonia; and (3) Molecular identification of LAB by analysis of the base sequence of the 16S RNA gene. The whey for this study was collected in Lasi Farm in Agam Regency, West Sumatra, Indonesia. The data was subsequently subJected to descriptive analysis. The bacteria obtained were rod-shaped that were catalase negative and homofermentative. Lactic acid bacteria were found to have antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, Pseudomonas, Listeria inokua and Klebsiella pneumonia. Base on the phylogenetic analysis, the bacteria isolated were closely related to Limosilactobacillus fermentum, a probiotic bacteria candidate.