%X This study was aimed to identify and optimize the culture conditions for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production by a lactic acid bacterium strain isolated from mam nem, a fermented fish sauce. Among the six isolates obtained from mam nem, the MN12 had the most potent GABA-producing capability. The strain was then identified to be Pedioccocus pentosaceus by employing MALDI-TOF-MS and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthase sequencing methods. The initial cell density of 5.106 CFU/mL, monosodium glutamate concentration of 60 mM, initial pH of 7, temperature of 45°C and cultivation time of 72 h were found to be the optimal culture conditions for highest production of GABA, reaching 27.9 ± 0.42 mM, by this strain. The cultivation conditions for GABA production by P. pentosaceus MN12 have been successfully optimized, providing a foundation for the development of fermented foods enriched with GABA. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. %K 4 aminobutyric acid; catalase; glutamate sodium; glutamic acid; phenylalanine transfer RNA ligase; succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase; transfer RNA; 4 aminobutyric acid, Article; bacterial growth; bacterial strain; bacterium culture; bacterium identification; bacterium isolation; biodegradation; biomass conversion; bioremediation; biotransformation; cell density; colony forming unit; controlled study; environmental stress; fermented product; fish; food industry; high performance liquid chromatography; lactic acid bacterium; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; nonhuman; particle size; Pediococcus pentosaceus; pH; pH measurement; process optimization; sequence analysis; spectrophotometry; temperature; time of flight mass spectrometry; cell culture technique; culture medium; fish product; metabolism; microbiology; Pediococcus pentosaceus, Cell Culture Techniques; Culture Media; Fermented Foods and Beverages; Fish Products; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; Pediococcus pentosaceus; Sodium Glutamate %J Bioengineered %L scholars15958 %O cited By 11 %N 1 %R 10.1080/21655979.2020.1857626 %D 2021 %A D.T.B. Thuy %A A. Nguyen %A K.S. Khoo %A K.W. Chew %A M. Cnockaert %A P. Vandamme %A Y.-C. Ho %A N.D. Huy %A H.H. Cocoletzi %A P.L. Show %I Bellwether Publishing, Ltd. %V 12 %T Optimization of culture conditions for gamma-aminobutyric acid production by newly identified Pediococcus pentosaceus MN12 isolated from �mam nem�, a fermented fish sauce %P 54-62