Use of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZJ316 as a starter culture for nitrite degradation, foodborne pathogens inhibition and microbial community modulation in pickled mustard fermentation

Abstract

The potential of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> ZJ316 (ZJ316) as a starter culture for quality improvement and microbial community regulation in pickled mustard fermentation was elucidated in this study. Our results show that ZJ316 can deter the occurrence of nitrite peaks and maintain the nitrite content of pickled mustard at a low level (0.34 mg/kg). The headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results indicate that ZJ316 gives a good flavor to pickled mustard. According to the 16S rDNA results, Firmicutes were the predominant microbiota after inoculation with ZJ316, and the abundances of <i>Citrobacter</i>, <i>Enterobacter</i>, and <i>Proteus</i> decreased simultaneously. In addition, antibacterial activity analysis showed that the supernatant of pickled mustard inoculated with ZJ316 had a significant inhibitory effect on <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> D48, <i>Escherichia coli</i> DH5α, and <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> LM1. In conclusion, <i>L. plantarum</i> ZJ316 has potential for use as an ideal starter in the process of vegetable fermentation.