A numerical taxonomic study of lactic acid bacteria from vacuum‐packed beef, pork, lamb and bacon

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Abstract
A numerical taxonomic study using 79 unit characters was performed on 100 isolates of lactic acid bacteria from refrigerated vacuum-packed beef, pork, lamb and bacon. Three clusters were observed at 78% S (similarity level) which contained all the strains apart from 3 unidentifiable streptobacteria, 1 Leuconostoc, and 1 strain of Pediococcus pentosaceus. One cluster (III) consisted of only 1 strain of Leuconostoc paramesenteroides and 6 unidentifiable Leuconostoc strains. The 2 largest clusters (I and II) were both composed entirely of streptobacteria. Cluster I contained 31 strains (G + C content 33.2-36.9 mol %) which were not identifiable with any described species. Cluster II contained 57 strains (G + C content 40.7-43.7 mol %) which were provisionally identified with Lactobacillus sake or Lactobacillus bavaricus according to the lactic and isomer produced. The division of nearly all the streptobacteria into 2 clearly defined clusters has resolved problems which have existed in the classification of lactic acid bacteria from vacuum-packed meat.