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==Introduction of Characteristics and Taxonomy==
''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]].
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">[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>.
==Commercial Pediococcus Cultures==