Ga. Dykes et al., NUMERICAL TAXONOMY AND IDENTIFICATION OF LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA FROM SPOILED, VACUUM-PACKAGED VIENNA SAUSAGES, Journal of Applied Bacteriology, 76(3), 1994, pp. 246-252
Sixty-one lactic acid bacteria from spoiled vacuum-packaged vienna sau
sages and 15 reference strains were tested for 72 phenotypic character
istics. An identification key and a computer data base, both specific
for lactic acid bacteria from meat sources, were used for identificati
on and the results were compared. There was a high correlation (86.9%)
between the two procedures in the identification of strains to genus
level. However, only a 54.8% correlation was obtained in identifying s
trains to the species level. With numerical taxonomy (S-sm matching co
efficient with average linkage clustering) 60 strains were recovered i
n six clusters at the 89% similarity level. While most Leuconostoc str
ains clustered separately from the Lactobacillus strains, the identity
of many leuconostocs was not clarified. The presence of a heterogeneo
us cluster containing typical and 'atypical' strains of the Lactobacil
lus sake/curvatus group and a separate homogeneous Lact. curvatus clus
ter was noted. Closer examination of the data suggested that the 'atyp
ical' lactobacilli were all strains of Lact. sake.