The susceptibility of Streptococcus thermophilus 14085 to organic acid, simulated gastric juice, bile salt and disinfectant as influenced by cold shock treatment

Streptococcus thermophilus is a thermophilic lactic acid bacterium which is used as the starter organism for the fermentation of yoghurt and some cheese. In the present study, S. thermophilus BCRC 14085 was subjected to cold shock treatment by exposure at 10 °C for 2 h. The effect of cold shock on the susceptibility of S. thermophilus in subsequent lethal stress environments such as simulated gastric juice (pH 2.0–3.0), bile solution (2.0%) and various organic acids (0.75 M, pH 3.5) including propionic, lactic, acetic, citric and tartaric acid was investigated. In addition, the survival of cold-shocked and non-shocked S. thermophilus exposed to disinfectants, Clidox-S and Quatricide, were compared. Results revealed that cold shock enhanced the tolerance of S. thermophilus in the presence of simulated gastric juice (pH 2.5 and 2.8), while in bile solution, the population increase of cold-shocked cells is higher than that of non-shocked cells after 12 h of incubation. Furthermore, the susceptibility of S. thermophilus, regardless of cold shock, to organic acid varied with the kinds of organic acid examined. The cold-shocked S. thermophilus showed a significantly less survival (P < 0.05) than that of the non-shocked cells when exposed to lactic or acetic acid. Furthermore, cold shock reduced the survival of S. thermophilus when exposed to Quatricide but not Clidox-S.

► Streptococcus thermophilus was subjected to cold shock at 10 C for 2 h.
► Cold shock enhanced the tolerance of S. thermophilus in simulated gastric juice (pH of 2.5 or 3.0).
► In bile solution, cold shock enhanced the population increase of test organism at the end of incubation.
► Exposure to lactic or acetic acid, survival of cold shocked cells was less than the control cells.
► Cold-shock reduced the survival of S. thermophilus exposed to Quatricide but not Clidox-S.