To investigate the diversity of industrially useful microorganisms from fermented agricultural products in the Sacheon region, 128 strains were isolated and analyzed phylogenetically. The analysis indicated that the isolates were categorized into three phyla, eight families, 13 genera, and 33 species. The Bacillaceae family, which was the main taxon, comprised 88.3% of the isolates and included four genera and 22 species: Bacillus, Exiguobacterium, Fictibacillus, and Metabacillus. The Caryophanaceae family, which was the second most abundant taxon, comprised 3.9% of the isolates, including two genera and two species: Rummeliibacillus and Sporosarcina. The isolates were examined for hydrolytic enzyme activity (protease, amylase, and lipase), and 118 strains (92.2%) exhibited at least one of these enzyme activities. Furthermore, auxin production was observed in all seven strains. This study demonstrates that the isolated strains have potential applications in the food and agricultural industries in South Korea, highlighting the importance of genetic resources.

Lactic acid bacterial (LAB) fermentation is frequently used to enhance the nutritional and functional properties of natural products. Oysters (Crassostrea gigas), a marine bivalve mollusc, have long been used in food applications. In the present study, we explored the effects of LAB fermentation on the physiological activity of C. gigas. To identify new starter strains, we isolated and screened LAB from local specialties in Sacheon, South Korea. Eighteen LAB strains were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, four of which exhibited protease activity. All the four isolates were identified as Latilactobacillus curvatus. Fermentation was carried out in a medium containing C. gigas powder for three days. After incubation, the antioxidant activity in the culture supernatant of fermented C. gigas with L. curvatus GH-118-24 increased by approximately 139.2% compared with that of the non-fermented control. Additionally, the extract of fermented C. gigas for three days showed significant improvements in anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects, with increases of over 71.2% and 253.8%, respectively, compared to the non-fermented extract. These results suggested that the selected LAB strains have potential as starters capable of enhancing the bioactive properties of food, thus highlighting the importance of genetic resources in South Korea.