A Salt‐tolerant Denitrifying Bacillus Strain Which ‘Blows’ Canned Bacon

SUMMARY: A Bacillus strain, isolated from a ‘blown’ can of bacon, is described: it tolerates 15% NaCl and reduces nitrate and nitrite to N 2 O and N 2 . The pH‐salt relationship, the tolerance to nitrite under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, the heat resistance of the spores, and the composition of the gas produced, have been investigated. The characters of the organism are such that, should its spores survive the processing of a cured meat, their subsequent development and the spoilage of the product seem almost certain.