Project Number: 6645-41000-007-01
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Mar 02, 2010
End Date: Mar 01, 2013

Objective:
To isolate the predominant bacteria present in commercial cucumber fermentations and evaluate their ability to serve as host for bacteriophages possibly present in the same environment.

Approach:
Brine samples of at least two commercial cucumber fermentations will be collected. Samples will be spiral plated on MRS and VRBG agars to select for lactic acid bacteria and enterobacteriaceae. Selected colonies will be isolated and screened for their sensitivity to bacteriophages present in the brine samples. Bacterial hosts and bacteriophages will be identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and electronic microscopy, respectively.