The Effect of Inoculation of Lactobacillus plantarum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides on the Nitrite Concentration of Sauerkraut

The use of nitrogen fertilizers and low enzyme activity of nitrite and nitrate reductase in leaves of plants, causes the accumulation of nitrite and nitrate in leafy plants such as white cabbage (B.o var. alba).Nitrite is a highly carcinogenic substance therefore in this study changes in nitrite concentration during fermentation of fermented cabbage and spontaneous fermentation by inoculation of culture were examined. The strains used in fermented cabbage were Leu.meseneteriodes, subsp.mesenteroids PTCC 1563 and L. plantarum PTCC 1058 (Organization of Scientific and Industrial Research of Iran).The strains and their mixture as active culture, with equal numbers 5.6×106 cfu/gr were selected. Cabbage treatments consisted of inoculation with pure lactic starter (hemofermantative), inoculation with pure lactic starter (hetrofermantative), inoculation with a starter mix and cabbage not inoculated (control) were performed. Significant differences were recorded by the mean values of residual nitrites, pH, total number of lactic acid bacteria in the control samples (not inoculated) and inoculated samples (P<0.05).Residual nitrites in fermented cabbages by L. plantarum, Leu. mesentroides and mixed cultures were reduced up to 67.7%, 68.9%, 84.5% respectively, while it was 51.9% in the control treatment. The best treatment concering residual nitrite was the fermented cabbage by mixed culture. The best treatment concering the pH and the acidity levels was the cabbage inoculated by Leu. mesentroides.