Isolation and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Drinking Yogurt of Iranian One Humped Camel milk and Evaluation of Their Technological Properties

Camel milk has healing properties and health benefits. Lactic Acid Bacteria play an important role in quality of fermented products of camel milk such as Drinking Yogurt. A total of three samples of drinking yogurt of Iranian one humped camel milk (Camelus dromedarius) were collected from Golestan province in Iran under aseptic conditions. 32 bacteria by culturing on MRS agar medium were isolated. Among isolated bacteria, only four different isolates were phenotypically characterized that these isolates included Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus Ferintoshensis, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Enterococcus faecium. Bacterial isolates were identified by amplification of the 16S rRNA gene by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and were then grouped by the Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis (ARDRA) method. But, based on restriction analysis of 16S rRNA gene, the isolates were grouped into five ARDRA pattern that were identified by ribosomal DNA sequencing as Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus pentosus, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Enterococcus lactis. Evaluation of autolytic and lipolytic activity and acid production potential of isolates showed that technological potential of isolates from drinking yogurt of Iranian camel milk was remarkable.