Lactic acid bacteria from traditional Korean foods of Tarak and Kimchi was isolated and characterized against carcinogenic Helicobacter pylori. Five Tarak and 30 Kimchi, traditional lactic acid-fermented foods, were collected from Andong area and the markets in Seoul, respectively and 15 lactic acid bacteria were isolated. Among them, two isolates were selected from high growth-inhibitory activities on H. pylori. The isolates were identified as Streptococcus thermophilus LAB kw15 from Tarak and Leuconostoc mesenteroides LAB kw5 from Kimchi by the biochemical characteristics and 16S DNA sequencing. The culture solutions of the isolates adjusted to pH 7.0 showed H. pylori inhibition. The isolates grew well and H. pylori did not grow during the co-culture with those strains. Therefore, L. mesenteroides LAB kw5 and S. thermophilus LAB kw15 might be the candidates as the functional lactic acid bacteria for improving stomach health.

• 이현옥 | Hyun Ok Lee