The family leuconostocaceae

Abstract

Leuconostocaceae are lactic acid bacteria (LAB) belonging to order Lactobacillales. The family consists of genera Leuconostoc, Weissella, Oenococcus, and Fructobacillus. The genus Leuconostoc was described already in 1878 by van Tieghem. The oldest described species belonging to Oenococcus and Fructobacillus were originally described as Leuconostoc spp. but were later reclassified based on phenotypic and phylogenetic studies. Genus Weissella contains species originally classified as Leuconostoc or Lactobacillus spp. Like other LAB, Leuconostocaceae are Gram positive, catalase negative, and chemoorganotrophic. They grow in rich media supplemented with growth factors and amino acids and generate energy by substrate-level phosphorylation. Leuconostocaceae ferment glucose heterofermentatively yielding lactic acid, CO2, ethanol, and/or acetate. Leuconostocaceae are found in environments with high nutrient content, e.g., on green vegetation, roots, and food. Within LAB, Leuconostocaceae are characterized by their adaptable fermentation patterns that enable efficient generation of ATP from carbohydrates and, consequently, enhanced growth. Due to their ability to grow rapidly in rich media under elevated CO2 concentration at moderate temperatures, Leuconostocaceae are competitive in various food environments and contribute to a number of fermentation processes. The diverse fermentation substrates and products of Leuconostocaceae may cause desired or undesired effects on the organoleptic quality of foods. This contribution is a modified and updated version of previous descriptions of the family (Schleifer, 2009) and the included genera (Björkroth et al., 2009; Björkroth and Holzapfel, 2006; Dicks and Holzapfel, 2009; Holzapfel et al., 2009).