Changes

''Pediococcus'' can either improve or detract from fermented food products, including beer, wine, and cider. They play an important role in the fermentation of some meats and cheeses. They tend to be the primary souring microorganism in the production of [[Lambic|Belgian lambic]]. Some species have also been isolated from plants, fruit, and fermenting plant material. In wine, ''P. parvulus'' is the most common species found, and in beer ''P. damnosus'' is the most common. ''P. pentosaceus'' tends to be more hop sensitive than ''P. damnosus'' <ref name="Wade_2018">[https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ajgw.12366 Role of Pediococcus in winemaking. M.E. Wade, M.T. Strickland, J.P. Osborn, C.G. Edwards. 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajgw.12366.]</ref>.

Currently, there are 11 recognized species of ''Pediococcus''. They are ''P. acidilactici'', ''P. argentinicus'', ''P. cellicola'', ''P. claussenii'', ''P. damnosus'', ''P. ethanolidurans'', ''P. inopinatus'', ''P. parvulus'', ''P. pentosaceus'' (subspecies ''pentosaceus'' and ''intermedius''), ''P. siamensis'', and ''P. stilesii''. ''P. cerevisiae'' was reclassified into either ''P. damnosus'' or ''P. pentosaceus''. Other species of ''Pediococcus'' have also been reclassified to other genera in the last couple of decades. ''P. dextrinicus'' is now classified as ''Lactobacillus dextrinicus'', ''P. urinae-equi'' is now classified as ''Aerococcus urinae‐equi'', and ''P. halophilis'' is now classified as ''Tetragenococcus halophilis'' <ref name="Wade_2018"/>. Pediococci are described as coccoidal (spherical) or ovoid (egg-shaped) in shape. They are Gram-positive, non-motile (not capable of moving on their own), and non-spore forming. They are obligate homofermentive and typically do not produce CO₂, ethanol, or acetic acid, although there are a few exceptions to this in the literature. They do not produce [https://onlinelibraryen.wileywikipedia.comorg/wiki/doiCatalase catalase] (except for some ''P. pentocaseus'' strains which were reported to have pseudo-catalase activity by Simpson and Taguchi 1995) or [https:/full/10en.wikipedia.1111org/wiki/ajgwOxidase oxidase] enzymes.12366 Role Because of Pediococcus the way that ''Pedioccous'' cells divide, they often appear stuck together in winemakingpairs or clumps. M.E. WadeThey are the only lactic acid bacteria found in wine and beer to do this, M.T. Strickland, J.P. Osborn, C.G. Edwardsso they are easily identifiable at the genus level under a microscope based on their tendency to clump together. 2018. DOI: See [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi.org/full/10.1111/ajgw.12366table 2 from Wade et al.(2018)]for more species identification indicators and what carbohydrates different species can ferment <ref name="Wade_2018" /ref>.