Effects of culture conditions on Pectinatus cerevisiiphilus and Pectinatus frisingensis metabolism: a physiological and statistical approach

The genus Pectinatus has been often reported in beer spoilage with off-flavours. The bacteria are strictly anaerobic, Gram-negative rods. Propionate and acetate are the main fermentation products from glucose in the two species belonging to the genus, P. cerevisiiphilus and P. frisingensis. Amino acids routinely present at a high level in beer were not growth substrates for both species, and a significant accumulation of succinate was observed with lactate as growth substrate. Both Pectinatus ssp. showed almost identical fermentation balances on glucose. Growth kinetics of both glucose-grown species were unchanged under a N2, H2 or 20% CO2-containing atmosphere. Combinations of culture medium pH values from pH 3 x 9 to pH 7 x 2, of glucose levels between 5 and 55 mmol l-1, and of lactate concentrations varied from 4 to 40 mmol l-1 demonstrated that biomass and volatile fatty acids production were proportional to glucose concentration for both Pectinatus species. A significant increase of volatile fatty acid production was measured for both species at the lowest pH values with a lactate or a glucose concentration increase. The maximum biomass production was observed at pH 6 x 2 for P. cerevisiiphilus, and between pH 4 x 5 and pH 4 x 9 for P. frisingensis. Glucose and lactate or pH value were dependent with regard to propionate and acetate production in P. frisingensis. On the other hand, the variations of these three parameters were independent with regard to biomass production for both strains, and to volatile fatty acids production for P. cerevisiiphilus. Addition of ethanol to glucose-grown cultures completely inhibited growth at 1 x 3 mol l-1 ethanol for P. cerevisiiphilus, and at 1 x 8 mol l-1 for P. frisingensis.