Diacetyl Production and Utilization by Lactobacillus Species

Single-strain cultures of Lactobaciltus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum aecmnulated detectable amounts of diaeetyl when grown in milk culture at both 8 and 30 C, but strains of Laetobaeillus lactis and Laetobacillus brevis did not. Lactobacillus casei strains produced relatively large amounts of diaeetyl under these incubation conditions, whereas L. plantarum accumulated this compound in levels of less than i ppm. Significant differences in the production of diacetyl were noted between strains of a species.