Bekasam, an traditional fermented fi sh is perceived to have antihypertensive activity, which was estimated to bethe activity of ACE inhibitory peptides, the product of proteolytic degradation of fi sh protein during the bekasamfermentation. Lactic acid bacteria was possibly to give a role on proteolytic degradation to produce ACE inhibitorpeptides in bekasam fermentation. Six strains of the selected strains of proteolytic lactid acid bacteria from bekasam,namely Lactobacillus plantarum B1765, L. plantarum T2565, L. plantarum N2352, L. plantarum B1465, Lactobacilluspentosus B2555, and Pediococcus pentosaseus B1661, were assessed for growth characteristics. The amount of peptidesas result of proteolitic degradation, and the inhibitory activities of ACE inhibitor which is released in fermentationof “bekasam-like” product. All selected strains grew well, exhibited proteolytic activity which was showed by theincreasing of peptides. The extent of proteolysis varied among strains and appeared to be time dependant. The highestpeptides (8.55 ± 0.05 mg/g sample) was found on L. plantarum B1765 and the smallest one (4.45±0.10 mg/g sample)on P. pentosaceus B1661. L. plantarum B1765 exhibited the highest ACE inhibitor activity (68.17±1.32%), followed by L. plantarum T2565 (62.54±2.11%), L. plantarum N2352 (61.56±1.32%), L. plantarum B1465 (59.85±1.58%), and L. pentosus B2555 (56.61±4.28%), whereas P. pentosaceus B1661 (18.66±3.91%) showed the smallest one.ABSTRAKBekasam adalah salah satu produk ikan fermentasi tradisional. Produk ini diduga mempunyai aktivitas antihipertensiyang disebabkan oleh aktivitas peptida Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitor yang dihasilkan dari degradasiproteolitik selama proses fermentasi bekasam. Bakteri asam laktat diduga berperan dalam degradasi proteolitikmenghasilkan peptida ACE inhibitor pada fermentasi bekasam. Sebanyak 6 strain bakteri asam laktat terpilih yangdiisolasi dari bekasam yaitu Lactobacillus plantarum B1765, L. plantarum T2565, L. plantarum N2352, L. plantarumB1465, Lactobacillus pentosus B2555, Pediococcus pentosaseus B1661 telah dikaji pertumbuhan, jumlah peptidayang terbentuk dari hasil degradasi proteolitik dan presentase penghambatannya terhadap aktivitas ACE selamafermentasi “bekasam-like” product. Semua strain dapat tumbuh dengan baik dan menunjukkan peningkatan jumlahpeptida dan peningkatan aktivitas penghambatan selama proses fermentasi yang bervariasi antar strain. Jumlah peptidatertinggi pada akhir proses fermentasi (8,55 ± 0,05 mg/g) dihasilkan L. plantarum B1765 dan terkecil (4,45±0,10mg/g) dihasilkan oleh P. pentosaceus B1661. L. plantarum B1765 juga menghasilkan aktivitas penghambatantertinggi (68,17±1,32%), diikuti oleh L. plantarum T2565 (62,54±2,11%), L. plantarum N2352 (61,56±1,32%), L.plantarum B1465 (59,85±1,58%), L. pentosus B2555 (56,61±4,28%), aktivitas penghambatan terkecil dihasilkan olehP. pentosaceus B1661 (18,66±3,91%).