Growth of four isolates was examined at different temperature, initial pH and NaCl concentration (Figs.1e3). As shown in Fig.1, all strains grew rapidly at 30 C and 37 C, and reached the highest absorbance values (OD600 ¼1.5e1.6) in 6 h. Buttheywereunable to grow at 4 C in 48 h. Generally, Leuconostoc strains are known to grow at low temperature such as 10 C. They are the major LAB during kimchi fermentation and kimchi is stored at 1 Cto10C in most cases. Three Leuconostoc strains grew quickly at 30 C and grew slowly at 15 C, but still faster than at 45 C. In contrast, Lb. plantarum C182 grew best at 37 C and very slowly at 15 C. Growth of isolates at different initial pH was examined at 30 C for 48 h (Fig. 2). All strains grew rapidly at the initial pH of 4e9 and reached the OD600 value of 1.5e1.6 in 6 h. At the initial pH of 2.0, all strains were unable to grow and they grew slowly at the initial pH of 3.0. Tolerance against NaCl was examined using MRS broth with 6.5% and 8% NaCl(w/v). Lb. plantarum C182 was moretolerant than Leuconostoc strains (Fig. 3). In MRS broth with 6.5% and 8% NaCl, culture of Lb. plantarum C182 reached the OD600 value of 1.4 in 24 h and 1.2 in 48 h, respectively. It took only 6 h for Lb. plantarum C182 to reach 1.4 in MRS broth without salt. Leuconostoc strains grew slowly and reached OD600 value of 0.8e1.2 in 48 h when grown in MRS broth with 6.5% NaCl. All strains seem to grow well in kimchi where the salt concentration is about 2e3% (w/v