INHIBITION OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES BY LACTOCOCCUS LACTIS SUBSP. LACTIS ISOLATED FROM ITALIAN RAW HAM

A total of 168 strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from Italian raw ham and screened for antagonistic activity against Listeria monocytogenes by using an agar spot assay. Only one strain of Lactococcus lactis subsp . lactis produced antagonistic effects other than inhibition by low pH and hydrogen peroxide. The proteinaceous nature of the compound produced by L. lactis B10 was demonstrated by its inactivation by proteolytic enzymes. The cell-free culture super-natants (filtered and heat-treated) showed a bactericidal mode of action. Bacteriocin produced by L. lactis B10 was inhibitory to other lactic acid bacteria and one strain of Staphylococcus aureus, but not to the gram-negative bacteria tested .