Malolactic fermentation of sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) berry juice with Lactobacillus plantarum: impact on sugars, sugars alcohols, and organic acids

Potential to decrease sourness, and thus increase sensory value of sea buckthorn berries, by using malolactic fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum was investigated. Sea buckthorn juice samples were fermented with four different L. plantarum strains, and chemical changes related to fermentation were determined by analysing sugars, sugar alcohols and organic acids as trimethylsilyl-derivates from fermented sea buckthorn juices with GC-FID. There was a clear difference in fermentation efficiency between studied strains, strain 10492 being the most effective, resulting in total conversion of malic acid into lactic acid. Additionally, levels of total sugars maintained comparable to the non-treated juice with all strains, and thus sweetness was maintained. Therefore, L. plantarum with selected strains is potential candidate for malolactic fermentation of sea buckthorn.