Abstract:In order to investigate the role of lactic acid bacteria in controlling spoilage during the opening and consumption of sauce products, the salt tolerance and antimicrobial capabilities of lactic acid bacteria were examined, along with their impacts on the number of viable lactic acid bacteria, total bacterial colony count, bacterial community composition and the main volatile compounds responsible for unpleasant odors in a simulated household consumption scenario. The results indicated that Lactobacillus plantarum can tolerate a NaCl mass fraction of 7% and possesses strong antimicrobial properties; during the simulated household consumption of sauce, Lactobacillus plantarum effectively suppressed the total number of bacterial colonies and maintained the stability of viable lactic acid bacteria counts; the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the sauce, with the addition of Lactobacillus plantarum, was 83.6%, ensuring Lactobacillus as the dominant genus in the sauce; the relative mass fraction of the main volatile compounds causing unpleasant odors was reduced to only 4.71% of that in the blank control, effectively inhibiting the production of unpleasant odors in the sauce. Thus, Lactobacillus plantarum can extend the actual shelf life of sauce products during household use and holds potential for application in green food preservation.
