Abstract: The microbial community of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Chinese Paocai prepared with different salt concentrations (2%, moderate 5% and 8%), was assessed by cultivable methods and various molecular biology methods. The results showed that lactic acid bacteria in Paocai brine exhibited faster growth rate at lower salt concentration during the fermentation process. A total of 563 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from Paocai brines fermented with different salt concentrations and identified by 16S rDNA sequencing analysis, multiplex-PCR method, and PCR-FRLP analyses. The isolates were identified to belong to 11 species of 5 genera respectively. Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus pentosus and Leuconostoc were found to be the dominant flora in Paocai samples during the early stage of fermentation with lower salt concentration (2%) while Lactobacillus pentosus dominated the late fermentation stage. Furthermore, Lactobacillus pentosus and Weissella were the most abundant isolates from Paocai brine during the early stage of fermentation with 5% and 8% salt concentrations, but the major microbes involved in the late fermentation stage were still Lactobacillus pentosus.

Key words: Chinese Paocai, salt concentration, lactic acid bacteria, microbial community