''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. Gram-positive bac ...

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 ''Aerococcus'' is a genus in the phylum Bacillota (Bacteria). The genus was first identified in 1953 from samples of air and dust as a catalase-negative, gram-positive coccus that grew in small clusters. They were subsequently found in hospital ...

'' and '' Tetragenococcus''. They are purely

homofermentative Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food p ...

. '' Pediococcus dextrinicus'' has recently been reassigned to the genus ''

Lapidilactobacillus ''Lapidilactobacillus'' is a genus of lactic acid bacteria. 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 a ...

''.

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 di ...

'', responsible for the fermentation of cabbage, making it

sauerkraut Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") 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 fe ...

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

lactic acid Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has a molecular formula . 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 well as natur ...

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

beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cer ...

and

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are ...

, 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 and in Brussels itself since the 13th century. Types of lambic beers include gueuze, kriek lambic and framboise. Lambic differs from most other be ...

and

Berliner Weisse Berliner Weisse (German: Berliner Weiße, ) is a cloudy, sour beer of around 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 ...

. Certain ''Pediococcus'' isolates produce

diacetyl Diacetyl (IUPAC systematic name: butanedione or butane-2,3-dione) is an organic compound with the chemical formula (CH3CO)2. It is a yellow liquid with an intensely buttery flavor. It is a vicinal diketone (two C=O groups, side-by-side). Diace ...

which gives a

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food), spread, melted a ...

y or

butterscotch Butterscotch is a type of confectionery whose primary ingredients are brown sugar and butter, but other ingredients are part of some recipes, such as corn syrup, cream, vanilla, and salt. The earliest known recipes, in mid-19th century Yorkshir ...

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 ...

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

silage Silage () is a type of fodder made from green foliage crops which have been preserved by fermentation to the point of acidification. It can be fed to cattle, sheep and other such ruminants ( cud-chewing animals). The fermentation and storage ...

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 ''Pediococcus acidilactici'' is a species of Gram-positive cocci that is often found in pairs or tetrads. ''P. acidilactici'' is a homofermentative bacterium that can grow in a wide range of pH, temperature, and osmotic pressure, therefore bein ...

'' Lindner 1887 (Approved Lists 1980) * ''

Pediococcus argentinicus ''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 ''Aerococcu ...

'' De Bruyne ''et al''. 2008 * ''

Pediococcus cellicola ''Pediococcus cellicola'' is a species of Gram-positive bacteria. Strains of this species were originally isolated from a fermenting cellar in Hebei Province Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei i ...

'' Zhang ''et al''. 2005 * ''

Pediococcus claussenii ''Pediococcus claussenii'' is a species of Gram-positive bacteria. Like other ''Pediococcus'' species, ''P. claussenii'' is implicated in the spoilage of fermented beverages due to its production of diacetyl. Strains of this species were origina ...

'' 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 * '' Pediococcus siamensis'' Tanasupawat ''et al''. 2007 * '' Pediococcus stilesii'' Franz ''et al''. 2006

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 Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical ...

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