Isolation and characterization of lactic acid bacteria from traditional fermented fish product Shidal of India with reference to their probiotic potential

The study aimed to isolate LAB from a traditional fermented fish product, Shidal of India to evaluate their probiotic characteristics. Forty strains of LAB comprising L. plantarum, P. pentosaceus, P. acidilactici, P. lolii, E. hirae, E. lactis, E. faecium and E. faecalis was recognized using molecular tools. 28 strains excluding E. faecium and E. faecalis was tested for probiotic potential. All the strains survived in the simulated conditions of the GI tract. Auto-aggregation and hydrophobicity ranged from 21 to 49% and 35.31–78.21% respectively, whereas, minimum to moderate co-aggregation ability with S. enterica and S. aureus was exhibited by all the strains. Although, all the strains of Lactobacilli, Pediococci and Enterococci showed variable susceptibility and resistance towards clinical antibiotics, but only resistance against vancomycin was exhibited by Lactobacilli and Pediococci. Non-neutralized cell free supernatant showed antimicrobial activity against enteric pathogens, namely, S. enterica, E. coli, B. subtilis and S. aureus. The results of the study may primarily contribute to the understanding of the probiotic potential of LAB in Shidal, however, in order to access their safety aspects, behaviour in food matrix, sensorial attributes and their survival/colonization in the GI tract using in vivo model is still demanded.