Tetragenococcus halophilus R23, a soy sauce isolate, was mutagenized by UV mutagenesis and atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP). By means of high throughput screening, a mutant strain, 3-H9, which exhibited enhanced capability in reduction of ethyl carbamate (EC) precursor citrulline and citrulline precursor, arginine was obtained. Compared with the wild strain R23, utilization of EC precursors citrulline and arginine under conditions that are not conducive to EC precursor metabolism by T. halophilus 3-H9, was greatly increased. Production of enzymes that are related to arginine and citrulline utilization was enhanced in T. halophilus 3-H9. Transcription level of corresponding genes involved in arginine metabolism in 3-H9 was detected to be higher than that in the wild strain R23.