Lactobacillus sakei/curvatus is the prevailing lactic acid bacterium group in spoiled maatjes herring Original Research Article

A total of 164 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from spoiled maatjes herring stored in air and under modified atmosphere at 4 or 10 °C were characterised and identified using an rRNA gene restriction pattern (ribotype) database. The isolates were initially grouped according to their HindIII restriction endonuclease profiles and further identified to species level using numerical analysis. Lactobacillus sakei, Lactobacillus curvatus and strains of the L. curvatus spp./Lactobacillus fuchuensis group were the main species detected. Of all the isolates, six were identified as Lactococcus spp.