Bacillus strains were cultured in Brain Heart Infusion broth
(BHI; Difco) or on Starch agar (SA; Difco) for 24 h at 30 °C.
L. plantarum was subcultured (2%, v/v) from a stock culture in
de Man Rogosa Sharpe broth (MRS; Difco) and incubated at
30 °C for 8 h. Before experiments, MRS was inoculated at 0.2%
(v/v) with the 8 h culture and incubated at 30 °C for 18 h. This
culture was used to inoculate media.