Fermentation characteristics and bacterial dynamics during Chinese sauerkraut fermentation by Lactobacillus curvatus LC-20 under varied salt concentrations reveal its potential in low-salt suan cai production.

Salt profoundly affects the physicochemical properties and microbial abundance of fermented foods such as suan cai, a popular traditional fermented food in China. It is vital to systematically investigate the effects of salt concentrations on fermented suan cai for high fermentation quality and large-scale production. We elucidated the effects of salt concentrations on Lactobacillus curvatus (LC-20) and suan cai during fermentation, and found that salt (0-1%) favoured an increase in LC-20 growth and a decrease in pH (salt: 0-2%). For suan cai fermentation, the results from sensory scoring judged 1% salt treatment the highest. Salt concentration also affected the nitrite content of the fermentation system with peak nitrite values in low salt treatments being significantly higher on the first day, and gradually decreasing to similar levels. After fermentation, the total titratable acid and lactic acid concentrations in the 0-1% treatments were higher (p < 0.05) than those in 2-5% treatments. The colony forming units of lactic acid bacteria increased initially and then decreased after 6 d of fermentation. At the phylum level, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were predominant in all treatments, and at the genus level, Lactobacillus dominated the fermentation. Other lactic acid bacteria such as Lactococcus and Weissella were also detected. Quantitative PCR showed DNA concentration of LC-20 at 0.5-2% salt treatments were higher than that in other treatments and L. curvatus was the dominant microorganism during fermentation. Hence, we conclude that L. curvatus could be used for suan cai product at low salt concentrations.