''Pediococcus'' is a genus of

gram-positive In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall. The Gram stain is ...

lactic acid bacteria 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 bact ...

, placed within the family of

Lactobacillaceae 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 fermentati ...

. 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.

Food processing

''Pediococcus'' is, along with other

such as '' Leuconostoc'' and ''

Lactobacillus ''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 div ...

'', responsible for the

fermentation Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are catabolized and reduce ...

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.& ...

, making it

sauerkraut Sauerkraut (; , ) is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferment the sugar ...

. In this process, the sugars in fresh cabbage are fermented to

lactic acid Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has the molecular formula C3H6O3. It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as wel ...

, which gives sauerkraut a sour flavour and good keeping qualities. ''Pediococcus'' bacteria are usually considered contaminants of

beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...

and

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

, although their presence is sometimes desired in beer styles such as

lambic Lambic ( , ; ) is a type of beer brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium southwest of Brussels since the 13th century. Types of lambic beer include gueuze, kriek lambic, and framboise. Lambic differs from most other beers in that it is Bre ...

and

Berliner Weisse Berliner Weisse (, ; "Berlin White") is a cloudy, sour ale of around 3.5% alcohol by volume. It is a regional variation of the wheat beer style from Northern Germany, dating back to at least the 16th century. It can be made from combinations of ...

. Certain ''Pediococcus'' isolates produce diacetyl which gives a

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...

y or butterscotch aroma to some wines (such as

Chardonnay Chardonnay (, ; ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new a ...

) and a few styles of beer. ''Pediococcus'' species are often used in

silage Silage is fodder made from green foliage crops which have been preserved by fermentation (food), fermentation to the point of souring. It is fed to cattle, sheep and other ruminants. The fermentation and storage process is called ''ensilage'', ' ...

inoculants. Pediococci are used as probiotics, and are commonly added as beneficial microbes in the creation of sausages, cheeses and yogurts.

Species

The genus ''Pediococcus'' comprises the following species: * '' Pediococcus acidilactici'' Lindner 1887 (Approved Lists 1980) * '' Pediococcus argentinicus'' De Bruyne ''et al''. 2008 * '' Pediococcus cellicola'' Zhang ''et al''. 2005 * '' Pediococcus claussenii'' Dobson ''et al''. 2002 * '' Pediococcus damnosus'' Claussen 1903 (Approved Lists 1980) * '' Pediococcus ethanolidurans'' Liu ''et al''. 2006 * '' Pediococcus inopinatus'' Back 1988 * '' Pediococcus parvulus'' Günther and White 1961 (Approved Lists 1980) * '' Pediococcus pentosaceus'' Mees 1934 (Approved Lists 1980) * "Pediococcus perniciosus" Claussen 1903 nom. inval. * '' Pediococcus siamensis'' Tanasupawat ''et al''. 2007 * '' Pediococcus stilesii'' Franz ''et al''. 2006 Former members: * "Pediococcus dextrinicus" reclassified as '' Lapidilactobacillus dextrinicus''. * "Pediococcus halophilus" reclassified as '' Tetragenococcus halophilus''. * "Pediococcus lolii" reclassified as '' Pediococcus acidilactici''. * "Pediococcus urinaeequi" reclassified as '' Aerococcus urinaeequi''. * "Pediococcus cerevisiae" strains reclassified to ''P. damnosus'', ''P. acidilactici'' and ''P. pentosaceus''.

Phylogeny

The currently accepted taxonomy is based on the

List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN) is an online database that maintains information on the naming and taxonomy of prokaryotes, following the taxonomy requirements and rulings of the International Code of Nomenclatu ...

and the phylogeny is based on whole-genome sequences.

References

External links

Pediococcus at Milk the Funk Wiki

''Pediococcus'' at Bac''Dive'' - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase
Lactobacillaceae Bacteria used in dairy products Bacteria genera {{lactobacilli-stub

Food processing

Species

Phylogeny

References

Further reading

External links