Plant origin Lactic Acid Bacteria (POLAB), lactic acid bacteria associated with the fermentation of plant-materials, are discussed in this paper.
If we mention about dairy fermented foods, we automatically think of yogurt, cheese, and LAB drink. These fermented foods were originated from Europe and West Asia, and mainly produced from milk which fermented by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The author called “dairy LAB” for L AB concerning in the dairy fermented foods. The beneficially of dairy LAB for human health have been studied intensively in Europe and America.
Whereas, in Japanese traditional fermented foods, plant origin are almost used as the raw materials. The well known fermented foods, such as Sake (alcohol beverage from rice), Miso (soybe an paste), and Shoyu (soy-sauce) are made from rice and soybeans. In the three mentioned above fermented foods, beside of molds and yeasts, LAB (L. sakei and Leuc. mesenteroides, Tetragenoco c cus halophilus) have also participate in the fermentation. Tsukemono (fermented vegetab les with salt), which consumed daily in various parts of Japan, LAB (L. plantarum, L. brevis, Leu. mesenteroides, etc. ) mainly have an important role for souring vegetables. Tsukemono is known as a food to promote Japanese health from long time ago. Moreover, as peculiar fermented drink, Awa-banch a and Goishi-cha (fermented tea leaves without salt in a big tub for ten days) produced in mountain area of Shikoku Island (Japan) were known as healthy foods in this area. It is recorded that large amount of Awa-bancha and Goishi-cha were consumed for long time in Japan. From the recent our researches, it is interesting that only L. plantarum equipped with DAP-peptidoglycan in cell wall participate in th e fermentation of these tea leaves because they can survive from tannic acids containing in the leave s. However, LAB equipped with Lys-peptidoglycan in cell wall unable to survive in this condition.
In conclusion, traditionally, Japanese did not have any dairy fermented foods, but only had p lant materials fermented foods which benefit for health for long time. Therefore, the author empha s ize that “plant origin lactic acid bacteria”, which are associated with the fermentation of plant materials, have been important role for human health.
The author consider following distinguish char a c teristics of POLAB
-Compare with dairy LAB, POLAB are able to grow in environment with poor nutrition.
-POLAB are able to survive from various inhibitory compounds produced by micr o o rganisms inhabit in plants.
POL A B are useful for probiotics, the fermentation of agriculture biomass to collect lactic acid, and the biopreservative of raw-eating vegetables.