Screening of lactic acid bacteria for fermentation of minced wastes of Argentinean hake (Merluccius hubbsi)

Sixteen strains of lactic acid bacteria were evaluated for their capacity of acidification of Merluccius hubbsi fish wastes obtained from a processing factory. Only three lactobacilli (Lactobacillus buchneri B-1837, Lactobacillus arizonensis B-14768 and Lactobacillus plantarum B-4496) were able to reduce the pH value to 4.0 or below when using glucose or sucrose as carbon source. Either with only 25 g l^?1 of glucose or sucrose, L. arizonensis B-14768 reduced the pH to 3.8 ± 0.2 within 24 h of fermentation. The acid tolerance test (pH 3.0 at 37 °C) for the strains presented D_pH3-values of 192, 383 and 767 min for L. buchneri, L. plantarum and L. arizonensis, respectively. However, at a lower pH value (pH 2.0) only L. arizonensis was significantly recovered after 45 min of exposure (D_pH2 68 min). Considering together the acidification capacity, the tolerance to other stresses (heat and bile salts) and the lower optimum temperature for the process, L. arizonensis is described as a suitable strain for M. hubbsi silage; constituting a promissory alternative for fish fermentation at location with temperate or cold climes.