Lactobacillus SPP.: General Characteristics ☆

Lactobacillus is the largest genus within the group of lactic acid bacteria. Based on the 16S rRNA sequences, lactobacilli are phylogenetically distributed in seven groups: Lactobacillus buchneri group (bu), Lactobacillus casei group (ca), Lactobacillus delbrueckii group (de), Lactobacillus plantarum group (pl), Lactobacillus reuteri group (re), Lactobacillus sakei group (sa) and Lactobacillus salivarius group (sl). Traditionally, the genus is split into three groups based on the carbohydrate fermentation pathways: (1) obligate homofermentative; (2) facultative heterofermentative; and (3) obligate heterofermentative lactobacilli. The two most obvious beneficial roles of lactobacilli are as starter cultures (to produce acid rapidly) and as probiotic cultures. Lactobacilli are one of the few contaminant bacteria that are able to grow in the cheese after manufacture (nonstarter lactic acid bacteria, NSLAB). Lactobacilli starters and NSLAB may play a different role in the lactose, lactate and citrate metabolisms, proteolysis and lipolysis which are considered the primary events during cheese ripening.