BIOPRESERVATION POTENTIAL OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA FROM ANDEAN FERMENTED PRODUCTS Alba Yépez 1, Carlos Luz 4, Giuseppe Meca 4, Rosa Aznar1,2,3 1Microbiology and Ecology, University of Valencia, Spain; 2Biotechnology, IATA-CSIC, Paterna, Spain; 3CECT, University of Valencia, Spain; 4Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Spain INTRODUCTION Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are commonly used for a large variety of food fermentations because of their biosynthetic capacity and their metabolic versatility. In addition, LAB may exhibit antimicrobial activity, which represents a huge potential in biopreservation. Food spoilage caused by mycotoxigenic molds is among the challenges in food safety. In this context, some LAB strains are able to produce low molecular weight compounds, generally with antioxidant activity, related to phenolic acids with important antifungal activities. Provided LAB are food grade organisms and many species are in the system “Qualified Presumption of Safety” (QPS) introduced by the “European Food Safety Agency” (EFSA), they are suitable to be used in the formulation of shelf-life/foodsafety enhanced products. MATERIAL & METHODS Characteristics of the study strains Antimicrobial tests vs. food toxigenic molds 1 Lactobacillus fermentum, 1 Lactobacillus sakei, 6 Lactobacillus plantarum, 3 Leuconostoc mesenteroides 11 LAB strains Concentrated by lyophilisation Antimicrobial activity Riboflavin production > 100 ng/ml Folate production Phytate degradation activity Functional properties Foodborne pathogens Fusarium verticilloides CECT 2987 (Aflatoxin producer) (Patulin producer) (Fumonisin producer) Aspergillus parasiticus CECT 2681 Penicillium expansum CECT 2278 Salmonella enterica CECT 4138 Escherichia coli O157:H7 CECT 5947 Spoiler fungi Pichia guillermondii CECT 1021 Aspergillus oryzae CECT 2094 Penicillium roqueforti CECT 2905 Kirby-Bauer assay (antibiogram method) RESULTS & DISCUSSION Characterization of the antifungal compounds LC-DAD and LC MS/MS LAB strain LAB specie A. parasiticus P. expansum F. verticilloides M5MA1 Lb. plantarum + - M9MG2 M9MG6 M9MM1 M9MM4 M9Y2 T1M3 Lc. mesenteroides T2MM5 T2MM6 T3M3 Lb. fermentum T3M7 Lb. sakei Compound (mg/L) M5MA1 M9MG6 T3M3 Phenyllactic acid 90.00 65.00 - 3-(4hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propanoic acid 7.50 Synapic acid 9.50 2-Deoxycytidine 15.00 15.50 Cyclo (L-His-L Pro) 4.45 Cyclo (L-Tyr-L Pro) 6.50 0.95 10.00 Phenylpyruvic acid 4.55 0.85 cis-Caftaric acid a 1.37 Protocatechuic acid hexoside 1.65 Caffeic acid derivative 5.50 Hydroxycinnamic acid derivative 24.00 Quercetin pentoside 20.00 Quinic acid derivative 22.50 Caffeoyl hexose-deoxyhexoside 2.95 2.75 3,5-Di-O-caffeoylquinic acid 24.15 18.00 Antifungal activity against at least to one of the three moulds was observed in all Lb. plantarum and Lb. fermentum One strain of Lb. plantarum inhibited all three molds. CONCLUSIONS Due to the multi-antimicrobial activity shown by some of the LAB, particularly among the Lb. plantarum, these strains would be a good candidates to be used in the formulation of sourdough-based products to extend their shelf life. Three of the strains produce some compounds which have been described to show antifungal activity, among them, phenolic acids. Acknowledgements PROMETEO/2012/040 (Generalitat Valenciana, España) FPU2013/03398 (Spanish Ministery of Education, Culture ans Sport