Physicochemical Properties and Bacterial Communities of Meong-ge ( Halocynthia roretzi ) Jeotgal Prepared with 3 Different Types of Salts.

Meong-ge ( Halocynthia roretzi ) jeotgals (MJs) were prepared with 3 different types of salts (12%, w/v): purified salt (PS), solar salt aged for 3 years (SS), and bamboo salt recrystalized for 3 times (BS). One set of MJs were fermented with starters, Bacillus subtilis JS2 and Tetragenococcus halophilus BS1-37 (each 6 log CFU/g), and another set without starters for 42 days at 10℃. LAB count of SSMJ (non-starter) was the highest at day 28 (2.30 log CFU/g). The pH of PS and SSMJs were 5.72-5.77 at day 0, and 5.40-5.50 at day 42. BSMJs showed higher pH and lower titratable acidities than other samples. Amino-type nitrogen (ANN) increased continuously, and SSMJ showed higher values than other samples from day 14. Bacterial species of non-starter MJs were examined by culture independent method. Clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes were constructed in Escherichia coli from total DNA from non-starter MJ samples at day 0, 14, and 28. Thirty clones per each sample were randomly selected and DNA sequences were analyzed. Variovorax sp., uncultured bacterium, and Acidovorax sp. were the most dominant group at day 0, 14, and 28, respectively. Lactobacillus sakei and Streptococcus sp. were the next dominant group in SSMJ at day 28. A Streptococcus sp. was detected from PSMJ at day 28. Sensory evaluation for MJ samples at day 28 showed that SSMJs got higher overall acceptability scores. These results showed that solar salt can cause desirable changes in microbial community of fermented foods, positively affecting the quality of fermented foods.