Azoreductase activity in bacteria associated with the greening of instant chocolate puddings

Abstract

Pseudomonas sp. strain AZR1 and Klebsiella sp. strain AZR2 were isolated from reconstituted instant chocolate puddings that had turned green and were found to have azoreductase activity. This activity was inducible and NADH dependent. Differences in dye reduction rates between the two strains were apparent, and substrate specificity related to dye structure was observed.