Changes in Bacterial Composition During Maturing Stages of Salt Fermentation of Pangas (pangasianodon Hypophthalmus)

ABSTRACT Pangas fish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) was fermented naturally with salt at room temperature for 180 days and representative culturable bacteria from the entire maturation period at 15 days interval were isolated by plating in media containing 5% and 15% salt and identified using 16SrRNA gene sequence analysis. Total 80 no of bacterial isolates belonging to genera such as Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Oceanobacillus, Halomonas, Chromohalobacter, Virgibacillus etc. were identified from late maturation phase. Staphylococcus, Bacillus and Halomonas spp. were dominant from early maturation phase whereas Chromohalobacter spp. and Virgibacillus spp. appeared from 90th day onward and persisted till the final maturation. Bacillus licheniformis and Chromohalobacter canadensis were dominant bacterial species on 5% and 15% salt containing plates respectively from 90th day until final maturation. The dominant isolates showed good proteolytic and moderate lipolytic activities along with good growth during salt fermentation indicating that they are potential starter cultures for acceleration of the fermentation process.