Lactobacillus perolens sp nov., a soft drink spoilage bacterium

Lactic acid bacteria that are able to spoil soft-drinks with low pH compris e a limited number of a acido-tolerant or acidophilic species of the genera Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc and Weissella. Various Gram-positive rods causi ng turbidity and off-flavour were isolated from orange lemonades. Physiolog ical and biochemical studies including SDS-PAGE whole-cell protein analysis showed a homogeneous group of organisms. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analys is of two representatives revealed that they formed a phylogenetically dist inct line within the genus Lactobacillus. All strains were facultatively he terofermentative, producing L-lactic acid. Based on the data presented a ne w species L. perolens is proposed. The name refers to the off-flavour cause d by high amounts of diaceryl. The type strain of L. perolens is DSM 12744 (LMG 18936). A rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probe was designed that allows a fast and r eliable identification of L. perolens.