ABSTRACT
Twenty six strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from Thai fermented meat products, including 7 samples of Nham (fermented pork), 7 Sai-krog-prieo (fermented sausage) and one Mum (fermented beef). The isolates were identified as Lactobacillus pentosus (5 isolates), Lactobacillus sp. (11 isolates), Pediococcus pentosaceus (5 isolates) and each isolate of Pediococcus lolii, Leuconostoc fallax, Weissella thailandensis, W. cibaria, and W. paramesenteroides based on their phenotypic characteristics and 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities (99.8-100 %). The isolates were primary screened for their lipolytic activity on agar plates. The rodshaped isolates showed 0.031±0.030-0.938±0.127 U/ml of lipase activity in broth supplemented with Tween 20, Tween 40, Tween 60 or Tween 80. The isolate SS50-1 identified as Lactobacillus pentosus showed the highest activity in Tween 80 (0.938±0.127 U/ml). The coccal isolates showed lipase activity ranged from 0.029±0.006- 1.090±0.033 U/ml when Tween 20, Tween 40, Tween 60 or Tween 80 was used as a substrate. The isolate SS48-4 identified as Pediococcus lolii showed the highest activity in Tween 80 (1.090±0.033 U/ml).