Blamed for causing the 'stink' when creating a
sourdough starter, some species are also capable of causing human infection.[3] Because they are an uncommon cause of disease in humans, standard commercial identification kits are often unable to identify the organism.[4]
Leuconostoc spp., along with other lactic acid bacteria such as Pediococcus and Lactobacillus, are responsible for the
fermentation of
cabbage, making it
sauerkraut. In this process, fresh cabbage is fermented in a light
brine, where the sugars in the cabbage are transformed by
lactofermentation to
lactic acid which gives the cabbage a sour flavour and good keeping qualities. Leuconostoc spp. are similarly part of the symbiotic colonies of bacteria and yeast (
SCOBY) involved in the fermentation of
kefir, a fermented milk beverage[5] and
kombucha, a fermented tea.
Species
The genus Leuconostoc comprises the following species:[6]
^
abVan Tieghem P. (1878). "Sur la gomme de sucrerie (Leuconostoc mesenteroides)" [On sugar-mill gum (Leuconostoc mesenteroides)]. Annales des Sciences Naturelles Botanique. 7: 180–203.
^Björkroth, J., and W. Holzapfel. 2006. Genera Leuconostoc, Oenococcus and Weissella, p.267 -319. In M. Dworkin (ed.), The prokaryotes: A handbook on the biology of bacteria: Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, vol. 4, 3rd ed. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY.
[1]
^Vagiakou-Voudris E, Mylona-Petropoulou D, Kalogeropoulou E, Chantzis A, Chini S, Tsiodra P, Malamou-Lada E (2002). "Multiple Liver Abscesses Associated with Bacteremia due to Leuconostoc lactis". Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. 34 (10): 766–7.
doi:
10.1080/00365540260348572.
PMID12477331.
S2CID6532754.