CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SHALGAM (SALGAM): A TRADITIONAL TURKISH LACTIC ACID FERMENTED BEVERAGE

Chemical and microbiological profiles of some commercial shalgams were investigated. The counts of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), mesophilic aerobic bacteria, yeasts, non-Saccharomyces yeasts and coliform bacteria were found with average of 6.97, 6.72, 5.64, 4.47 and 1.49 log cfu/mL, respectively. The final amounts of total acidity as lactic acid were found in the range of 6.547.25 g/L and final pH levels in the range of 3.283.48. Lactic acid, acetic acid and ethanol were produced with the fermentation of sugars and their levels were ranged from 2.66 to 4.74 mg/L, from 0.345 to 1.19 mg/L and from 0.79 to 5.03 g/L, respectively. Research on shalgam microbiota is scarce. Lactobacillus (Lb.) plantarum, the predominant LAB, Lb. brevis, Lb. delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii and Lb. fermentum were found in shalgam samples. We also found new species have not been isolated so far. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Shalgam (Salgam) production and consumption are recently increasing in Turkey. It is also made in commercial scale. The results obtained from this study give some information on the proximate chemical composition of commercial shalgam samples. Microbiological data can help in selecting the most promising LAB for starter usage in shalgam production.