Changes of radish in paocai fermentation: Combined effects of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum and Lactococcus lactis

This study investigated the effects of four fermentation methods on the paocai quality. Carnobacterium maltaromaticum fermentation (CF) and combined fermentation with Lactococcus lactis (MF) were compared against natural fermentation (NF) and Lactococcus lactis fermentation (LF) as controls. Compared with NF, the fermentation starter accelerated fermentation, with pH declining rapidly to 3.5 by day 4. The inoculated groups enhanced sample safety, with nitrite contents reduced to 16.5 %-34.1 % of that in the NF group. Notably, although CF did not demonstrate a significant advantage over LF, the MF group produced radish paocai that was more acceptable and had a softer texture, earning the highest score of 82.84 points. The results of this study provide a new paocai fermentation agent, offering reference data to improve the quality and diversify the types of paocai.