The objective of this study was to isolate, characterize, and identify lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from ripe
mulberries collected in Taiwan. Ripe mulberry samples were collected at five mulberry farms, located in
different counties of Taiwan. Eighty-eight acid-producing cultures were isolated from these samples, and
isolates were divided into classes first by phenotype, then into groups by restriction fragment length
polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Phenotypic and
biochemical characteristics led to identification of four bacterial groups (A to D). Weissella cibaria was the
most abundant type of LAB distributed in four mulberry farms, and Lactobacillus plantarum was the most
abundant LAB found in the remaining farm. Ten W. cibaria and one Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
isolate produced bacteriocins against the indicator strain Lactobacillus sakei JCM 1157T. These results
suggest that various LAB are distributed in ripe mulberries and W. cibaria was the most abundant LAB
found in this study.
