Abstract
The study was aimed at determining the impact of higher pressures on the antibiotic resistance of selected strains of the Lactobacillus species. Cultures of 22 Lactobacillus strains were subjected to a high-pressure treatment at 30, 60, 90, and 300 MPa/1 min/18 °C. The examined strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus displayed the highest susceptibility to ampicillin and erythromycin. Strains of Lactobacilus casei exhibited lower susceptibility to kanamycin and erythromycin. For most of the L. casei strains examined, the resistance to antibiotics decreased with an increase in the pressure applied. A pressure of 300 MPa caused an increase in the susceptibility to the antibiotics applied. Pressurization over a pressure range of 30–90 MPa had no significant effect on the survivability of the strains examined. In contrast, a pressure of 300 MPa was found to reduce the number of Lactobacillus strains to a considerable extent.