A CAUSATIVE FACTOR OF “FLOATERS” DURING THE CURING OF OLIVES

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Abstract
During the process of curing olives, they may become covered with blisters which cause them to rise to the surface of the fluid as "floaters". The flesh of the olives becomes soft and eventually disintegrates; hence they are unfit for consumption, although not harmful. The cause of this fermentation is apparently not a single organism, since at least 3 types have been shown to possess the power of producing this condition upon inoculation into sterilized olives. These organism are similar in morphology and staining reactions, but differ in their ability to ferment various carbohydrates. They are Gram-negative rods, non-motile, and highly fermentative, and non-gelatin liquefying, and exhibit a peculiar pleomorphism, being coccoid on plain agar and large rods on media containing glucose. Immune sera produced against 2 of these organisms showed no cross agglutination with any of the other strains. They are highly resistant to the actions of heat, acids, salt, and alkali, although no spores have been demonstrated. In many ways they are similar to the colon group, but are not identical. To prevent this type of spoilage, a thorough and frequent sterilizing of the vats and the curing of olives at low temperature are advised.

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