The involvement of <scp>ATP</scp>ase activity in the acid tolerance of <i><scp>L</scp>actobacillus rhamnosus</i> strain <scp>GG</scp>

<jats:p>This study examined the survival and acid stress response of nine lactic acid bacteria (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">LAB</jats:styled-content>) including <jats:italic><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">L</jats:styled-content>actobacillus rhamnosus</jats:italic> strain GG in commercially available yoghurt products (low <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">pH</jats:styled-content> environment) during the long‐term storage. Under the storage conditions investigated (52 weeks period at 5 °<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">C</jats:styled-content>), there was a loss of the viability of <jats:italic><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">L</jats:styled-content>actobacillus acidophilus</jats:italic>,<jats:italic> <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">L</jats:styled-content>actobacillus casei</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Bifidobacterium</jats:italic> sp. within 35 weeks. However, <jats:italic><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">L</jats:styled-content>. rhamnosus</jats:italic> strain <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GG</jats:styled-content>, one of starter strains in a commercially available yoghurt product, exhibited excellent survival throughout the whole storage period. Our results indicate that the viability of <jats:italic><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">L</jats:styled-content>. rhamnosus</jats:italic> strain <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GG</jats:styled-content> was increased by modulating the stress‐related factors as well as the activity of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ATP</jats:styled-content>ase with exposure to the low <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">pH</jats:styled-content> conditions.</jats:p>