Development of the microbial community during spontaneous cauliflower fermentation

The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the microbial ecology during spontaneous cauliflower fermentation and to taxonomically characterize the dominating lactic acid microbiota. For this purpose, cauliflower fermentation was performed according to a traditional recipe originating from northern Greece. Lactic acid bacteria dominated fermentation already from the 3rd day. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial 16S-rRNA gene sequences exhibited that spontaneous cauliflower fermentation was characterized by an initial heterofermentative stage driven by strains belonging to Leuconostoc mesenteroides-group that was followed by a homofermentative one with strains of Lactobacillus plantarum-group dominating. Strains belonging to Enterococcus faecium-group and Enterococcus faecalis-group were also isolated but only at the early stages of fermentation.