Leuconostoc mesenteroides

Leuconostoc mesenteroides is a species of lactic acid bacteria associated with fermentation, under conditions of salinity and low temperatures (such as lactic acid production in fermented sausages). In some cases of vegetable and food storage, it was associated with pathogenicity (soft rot, slime and unpleasant odor). 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. L. mesenteroides is an obligate heterolactic fermentative lactic acid bacterium (LAB) that is mostly used in industrial dairy fermentation, playing various roles, such as production of dextran, gas, and flavor compounds. It is approximately 0.5-0.7 μm by 0.7-1.2 μm, and produces small grayish colonies that are usually less than 1.0 mm in diameter. L. mesenteroides is a facultative anaerobe and will undergo heterolactic fermentation under microaerophilic conditions. Taking this into consideration, it is important to note that L. mesenteroides utilizes sugar glucose as its primary source of metabolism, also well as other sugars such as sucrose and fructose. Then, it creates ethanol, lactate, and CO2 as products of fermentation. When grown in sucrose solution, it converts the sugar to dextrans having mostly alpha 1,6 linkages, but 1,2, 1,3, and 1,4 linkages are also present. L. mesenteroides is typically found on the skin of a large variety of fleshy fruits and vegetables, and can be cultured using MRS agar, tomato juice agar, MRS broth, and skim milk.