Isolation and Screening of Lactic Acid Bacteria for Acidic pH and Bile Tolerance

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are Gram positive, non-spore forming, Catalase negative, acid tolerant, fastidious, non-motile and facultative anaerobic friendly gut bacteria. They constitute heterogeneous group of industrially important bacteria. In food industries, they used as preservative, acidulant and flavouring agents by the virtue of their probiotic traits. They are also in use as starter culture in food fermentations such as beverages, yoghurt, vegetables, cereals, meat, cocoa beans etc. (Doyle and Beauchat, 2007). They are also utilized in the development of functional foods and more specifically their application as vaccines, pro and prebiotics, neutraceuticals has attracted new research arena for food scientists and health professionals (Mozzi et al., 2010; De Vuyst et al., 2004).