Abstract
Among the lactic flora responsible for the development of acidity and characteristic flavor of Kimchi which is a traditional fermented Chiness cabbage. Homofermentative Lactobacillus plantarum is rod-shaped and to be known to ewert major role during later fermentation period. Once this strain establishes main flaora in the Kimchi fermentation process, it gives rise to excess acid production to reduce the taste and quality of Kimchi during storage. As a primary work to increase the keeping quality using virulent Lactobaillus plantarum bacteriophages, it was isolated sucessfully from collected Kimchi samples and their characteristics were studied. The new isolated phage, named SC 921, adsorbed to its host without Ca$^{2+}$, and nearly eliminated at 60$\circ $C of heat treatment for 5 min. This phages were atable at pH 4~ 10 but inactivated below pH 3.0 or pH 11.0 above. The latent period, rise period, and burst size of this phage was 100 min, 120 min, 31$\pm $2pfu/ml, respectively. Electron micrograph showed the phages particles were unusually oval feature of head (dia 80~ 120 nm) without contractile tail.