Amino acid decarboxylase capability of microorganisms isolated in Spanish fermented meat products

Enterobacteria, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Gram-positive cocci were isolated from Spanish meat products. The most frequent species in the meat products studied were identified as Lactobacillus sake, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus curvatus from De Man-Rogosa-Sharpe agar; Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Micrococcus varians from mannitol salt phenol-red agar; and Hafnia alvei, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Enterobacter amnigenes and Enterobacter aerogenes from violet red bile dextrose agar. The amino acid decarboxylase activity of the microorganisms isolated was assayed. Enterobacteria had higher amino acid decarboxylase activity than the other groups. LAB did not show any significant amino acid decarboxylase capability in this study.