Lactobacillus is a genus of gram-positive, aerotolerant anaerobes or microaerophilic, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacteria. Until 2020, the genus Lactobacillus comprised over 260 phylogenetically, ecologically, and metabolically diverse species; a taxonomic revision of the genus assigned lactobacilli to 25 genera.
Filmjölk, also known as fil, is a traditional fermented milk product from Sweden, and a common dairy product within most of the Nordic countries. It is made by fermenting cow's milk with a variety of bacteria from the species Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The bacteria metabolize lactose, the sugar naturally found in milk, into lactic acid, which means people who are lactose intolerant can tolerate it better than other dairy products. The acid gives filmjölk a sour taste and causes proteins in the milk, mainly casein, to coagulate, thus thickening the final product. The bacteria also produce a limited amount of diacetyl, a compound with a buttery flavor, which gives filmjölk its characteristic taste.
Viili (Finnish) is a mesophilic fermented milk product found in the Nordic countries, particularly Finland. Viili is similar to yoghurt or kefir, but when left unmixed, its texture is malleable, or "long". The metabolism of the bacteria used in the fermentation also gives viili a slightly different taste.
Žinčica, Žinčice, Żętyca, Жентиця, or Zyntyca is a drink made of sheep milk whey similar to kefir consumed mostly in Slovakia and Poland. It is a by-product in the process of making bryndza cheese.
Pediococcus is a genus of gram-positive lactic acid bacteria, placed within the family of Lactobacillaceae. They usually occur in pairs or tetrads, and divide along two planes of symmetry, as do the other lactic acid cocci genera Aerococcus and Tetragenococcus. They are purely homofermentative.
The International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP) or Prokaryotic Code, formerly the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria (ICNB) or Bacteriological Code (BC), governs the scientific names for Bacteria and Archaea. It denotes the rules for naming taxa of bacteria, according to their relative rank. As such it is one of the nomenclature codes of biology.
Lactobacillales are an order of gram-positive, low-GC, acid-tolerant, generally nonsporulating, nonrespiring, either rod-shaped (bacilli) or spherical (cocci) bacteria that share common metabolic and physiological characteristics. These bacteria, usually found in decomposing plants and milk products, produce lactic acid as the major metabolic end product of carbohydrate fermentation, giving them the common name lactic acid bacteria (LAB).
Oenococcus is a genus of gram-positive bacteria, placed within the family Lactobacillaceae. The only species in the genus was Oenococcus oeni. In 2006, the species Oenococcus kitaharae was identified. As its name implies, Oenococcus oeni holds major importance in the field of oenology, where it is the primary bacterium involved in completing malolactic fermentation.
The Lactobacillaceae are a family of lactic acid bacteria. It is the only family in the lactic acid bacteria which includes homofermentative and heterofermentative organisms; in the Lactobacillaceae, the pathway used for hexose fermentation is a genus-specific trait. Lactobacillaceae include the homofermentative lactobacilli Lactobacillus, Holzapfelia, Amylolactobacillus, Bombilactobacillus, Companilactobacillus, Lapidilactobacillus, Agrilactobacillus, Schleiferilactobacillus, Loigolactobacillus, Lacticaseibacillus, Latilactobacillus, Dellaglioa, Liquorilactobacillus, Ligilactobacillus, and Lactiplantibacillus; the heterofermentative lactobacilli Furfurilactobacillus, Paucilactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus, Fructilactobacillus, Acetilactobacillus, Apilactobacillus, Levilactobacillus, Secundilactobacillus, and Lentilactobacillus, which were previously classified in the genus Lactobacillus; and the heterofermentative genera Convivina, Fructobacillus, Leuconostoc, Oenococcus, and Weissella which were previously classified in the Leuconostocaceae.
Leuconostoc mesenteroides is a species of lactic acid bacteria associated with fermentation, under conditions of salinity and low temperatures. In some cases of vegetable and food storage, it was associated with pathogenicity. L. mesenteroides is approximately 0.5-0.7 μm in diameter and has a length of 0.7-1.2 μm, producing small grayish colonies that are typically less than 1.0 mm in diameter. It is facultatively anaerobic, Gram-positive, non-motile, non-sporogenous, and spherical. It often forms lenticular coccoid cells in pairs and chains, however, it can occasionally form short rods with rounded ends in long chains, as its shape can differ depending on what media the species is grown on. L. mesenteroides grows best at 30 °C, but can survive in temperatures ranging from 10 °C to 30 °C. Its optimum pH is 5.5, but can still show growth in pH of 4.5-7.0.
Weissella is a genus of gram-positive bacteria placed within the family Lactobacillaceae, formerly considered species of the Leuconostoc paramesenteroides group. The morphology of Weissella species varies from spherical or lenticular cells to irregular rods. Several strains of Weissella cibaria and Weissella confusa have shown probiotic potential. In particular, the cell-free culture supernatant of Weissella confusa shows a number of beneficial characteristics, such as antibacterial potential and anti-inflammatory efficiency. However, several strains of W. confusa are opportunistic bacteria. A number of studies have been done on the safety of the bacterial species, indicating their probiotic potential. The Senate Commission on Food Safety has validated the use of W. confusa in food.
Leuconostoc gelidum is a Gram-positive lactic acid bacterium; its type strain is NCFB 2775. Its genome has been sequenced. Its name derives from the fact that it was first isolated from chill-stored meats.
Weissella thailandensis is a species of Gram-positive bacteria. It is a homofermentative, sphere-shaped lactic acid bacteria. Its type strain is FS61-1T. Its genome has been sequenced.
Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens is a species of slime-forming, homofermentative, rod-shaped lactic acid bacteria first isolated from kefir grains, hence its name. Its type strain is WT-2B. Its genome has been sequenced. Lactobaccillus kefiranofaciens was first identified in 1967 in Russia through studying kefir granules. Lactobaccillus kefiranofaciens is part of the Lactobacillus genus and Firmicutes phylum of bacteria. These bacterium metabolize carbohydrates and produce lactic acid, which can be useful in fermentation. Two subspecies have been identified as kefirgranum and kefiranofaciens, which share properties such as being gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, and rod-shaped.L. kefiranofaciens is the subspecies related to kefir granules. Studies have investigated the origins and causes for variation in kefir composition and led to conflicting results. Some studies indicate the presence of L.kefiranofaciens was due to geographical location, while others indicate it was due to the different milks used.
Lactobacillus delbrueckii is a species of bacteria in the family Lactobacillaceae. It is part of the microbiota of the lower reproductive tract of women.
Lentilactobacillus is a genus of lactic acid bacteria.
Secundilactobacillus is a genus of lactic acid bacteria containing secondary fermenters separated from the primary fermenters of Lactobacillus after the latter group depletes hexoses and disaccharides. These Gram-positive, rod-shaped heterofermenters have been isolated from beer and apple cider, and they are generally incapable of reducing fructose to mannitol.
Fructobacillus is a genus of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the family Lactobacillaceae. It is a fructophilic lactic acid bacteria, indicating that it thrives better in fructose than in glucose and is characterized by its inability to produce ethanol.
Leuconostoc lactis is a species of lactic acid bacteria that performs fermentation in acidic conditions, like those found in dairy products such as cheese and yogurt, and tend to culture best at moderate temperatures around 30°C. L. lactis typically produces volatile butter-like compounds that are typically used in fermented dairy products, as well as dextran-like exopolysaccharide in sourdough.
