OXIDATION OF GLYCEROL BYACETOBACTERSPECIES

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Abstract
In a series of recent communications in this Journal descriptions have been given of species of acetic acid bacteria which have been isolated from brewers' pitching yeast or from beers, in which they were present as infections. Some of these species have been shown capable of exercising very deleterious effects on the quality of brewing materials and products, and it is important that means be found whereby such harmful organisms may readily be identified. Walker and Tosic have referred to the fact that some species of acetic acid bacteria are “ketogenic” and these oxidize glycerol to dihydroxyacetone. Such a biochemical characteristic is useful as an aid to differentiation between species. A comparison of the abilities of Acetobacter species to oxidize glycerol to dihydroxyacetone has therefore been made with a view to using the information for diagnostic purposes. Previously, it was known that A. xylinum, A. suboxydans, A. dioxyacetonicum, A. gluconicum, A. xylinoides, A. orleonense and A. aceti Hansen can, under suitable conditions, oxidize glycerol to dihydroxyacetone, and we now find that ability to effect this conversion is possessed also by A. acetigenum, A. capsulatum, A. pasteurianum, A. viscosum and A. ketogenum (sp. nov.). The last-mentioned organism was isolated recently from beer by G. A. Thomas and one (T.K.W.) of us and will be described in a future communication. A. capsulatum and A. viscosum are known to be virulent “beer disease” bacteria.

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