Detection of Gas Production from Glucose by Heterofermentative Lactic Acid Bacteria

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Several modifications of the Durham tube method for detecting gas production have been tested with a variety of heterofermentative lactobacilli, some of which had been described in the literature as failing to produce gas from glucose by this method. Gas production in Durham tubes was detected consistently when the surface of a tomato juice broth medium containing 0·5% or 2·5% (w/v) glucose was sealed with liquid paraffin or with washed agar, but less consistently when the surface of the medium was unsealed. A minority of the strains examined grew weakly in a peptone + yeast extract medium containing glucose and produced very little titratable acidity or detectable gas. These produced large quantities of gas in the same medium when maltose replaced glucose.