| Micrococcus | - gram positive cocci
- aerobic, non motile
- form in pairs, tetrads, clusters
- mesophilic
- found in skin of mammals
- some produce yellow colonies
- can cause food spoilage |
| Staphylococcus | - gram positive facultative anaerobes
- non motile cocci
- usually in grape-like clusters
- mesophilic
- can grow in 10% NaCl
- found on skin of humans, animals, and birds |
| Staphylococcus examples | - human pathogen: Staphylococcus aureus - bioprocessing: Staphylococcus carnosus |
| Streptococcus examples | - human pathogen: Streptococcus pyogenes - bioprocessing, produces lactic acid in diary formation: Streptococcus thermophilus |
| Streptococcus | - gram positive
- non motile spherical or ovoid cells
- in pairs of chains
- aerotolerant anaerobes
- mesophilic
- some are present as commensals in human respiratory tract |
| Enterococcus | - gram positive aerotolerant anaerobes
- non motile pairs or chains
- aerotolerant aerobes
- mesophile
- found in intestinal tract of humans, animals, birds; in the environments
- indicator organism
- can cause food spoilage |
| Lactococcus | - non motile, ovoid in pairs or shortchins
- gram positive
- aerotolerant anaerobes
- mesophilic but can grow at 10 C
- produce lactic acid, used for fermented dairy products
- present in raw milk and ilk plants
- some produce bacteriocins |
| Leuconostoc | - non motile, spherical or lenticular
- pairs or chains
- gram positive aerotolerant anaerobes
- aerotolerant anaerobes
- mesophilic, some species can grow < 3 C
- found in plants, meat, milk
- heterofermentative: single fermentation product produced
- spoilage of vacuum packaged refrigerated foods via gas production
- some produce bacteriocins |
| Leuconostoc examples | Leuconostoc mesenteriodes produce dextran while growing in sucrose |
| Pediococcus | - non motile; pairs or tetrads
- gram positive
- aerotolerant anaerobes
- mesophilic, some can grow at 50 C
- some survive pasteurization
- found on plants
- produce lactic acid; homofermentative
- used in some food fermentations, spoil alcoholic begerages
- some strains produce bacteriocins |
| Pediococcus examples | - Pediococcus cerevisiae produce honey like odor, spoil beer - Pediococcus acidilactici: bioprocessing, produce bacteriocins |
| Sarcina | - gram positive aerotolerant anaerobes
- non motile large spherical cells
- occur in cubical packets of 8 or more cells
- in soil, plant material, animal feces
- produce acid and gas from carbohydrates
- spoil foods of plant origin |
