Introduction to the Genera Pediococcus, Leuconostoc, Weissella, and Carnobacterium

The genus Leuconostoc belongs to the Leuconostocaceae family within the order Lactobacillales, together with the genera Fructobacillus, Oenococcus, and Weissella. The genus Pediococcus belongs to the Lactobacillacea family within the order Lactobacillales. The genus can be roughly divided into two ecological groups according to habitats; however, only two species, C. divergens and C. maltaromaticum, are frequently encountered in a diverse range of environments, including foods. A number of phenotypic methods have been used for species identification and typing of Carnobacterium, including biochemical and physiological tests, composition of cellular fatty acids, whole-cell protein profiling, pyrolysis MS, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Generally, Carnobacterium spp. ferment various carbohydrates but with a substantial amount of variation. Glucose, fructose, mannose, ribose, sucrose, and trehalose are utilized by the majority of species. Carnobacterium jeotgali is atypical by its narrow spectrum of carbohydrates for fermentation, omitting glucose, and ribose.