NUMERICAL TAXONOMY AND IDENTIFICATION OF LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA FROM SPOILED, VACUUM-PACKAGED VIENNA SAUSAGES

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.