GROWTH OF Clostridium perfringens STRAINS ON α‐GALACTOSIDES

Five strains of Clostridium perfringens type A varied greatly in their ability to utilize and grow on the α‐galactosides raffinose, stachyose, and melibiose when these sugars were added (1%) to a casein‐digest medium. Stachyose and raffinose were utilized rapidly by NCTC strain 8798, and at moderate rate by NCTC strains 8238 and 10240. Strain KA3 utilized raffinose at moderate rates, but stachyose not at all. Strain FD‐1 utilized raffinose only to a slight extent, and stachyose not at ail. NCTC strains 8238 and 10240 sporulated heavily during growth on raffinose and stachyose. The implications of these findings on previous work linking C. perfringens to legume‐induced human flatulence is discussed.