Characterization of heat stable and inhibitory activity of bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus

Bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are natural antimicrobial peptides or proteins with interesting potential application in food preservation and health care. The present study was aimed to isolate LAB were isolated and screened for bacteriocin production by agar well diffusion method. Among them L. acidophilus isolated from meat showed maximum zone of inhibition in Staphylococcus sp (16mm) followed by Klebsiella. sp (14mm). The bacteriocin of L. acidophilus was found to be heat stable (75 o C for 15min). Addition of surfactants (Tween 80, EDTA and SDS) up to 1% to crude bacteriocin showed increase in antibacterial activity. Our present study demonstrates the possibility of using L. acidophilus or its bacteriocin as a preservative in food industry. Keyword: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Antibacterial activity, Bacteriocin, Lactic acid bacteria.