Blamed for causing the 'stink' when creating a sourdough starter, some species are also capable of causing human infection.[3] Because they are an uncommon cause of disease in humans, standard commercial identification kits are often unable to identify the organism.[4]
Leuconostoc spp., along with other lactic acid bacteria such as Pediococcus and Lactobacillus, are responsible for the fermentationofcabbage, making it sauerkraut. In this process, fresh cabbage is fermented in a light brine, where the sugars in the cabbage are transformed by lactofermentationtolactic acid which gives the cabbage a sour flavour and good keeping qualities. Leuconostoc spp. are similarly part of the symbiotic colonies of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) involved in the fermentation of kefir, a fermented milk beverage[5] and kombucha, a fermented tea.
^ abVan Tieghem P. (1878). "Sur la gomme de sucrerie (Leuconostoc mesenteroides)" [On sugar-mill gum (Leuconostoc mesenteroides)]. Annales des Sciences Naturelles Botanique. 7: 180–203.
^Björkroth, J., and W. Holzapfel. 2006. Genera Leuconostoc, Oenococcus and Weissella, p.267 -319. In M. Dworkin (ed.), The prokaryotes: A handbook on the biology of bacteria: Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, vol. 4, 3rd ed. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY. [1]
^Vagiakou-Voudris E, Mylona-Petropoulou D, Kalogeropoulou E, Chantzis A, Chini S, Tsiodra P, Malamou-Lada E (2002). "Multiple Liver Abscesses Associated with Bacteremia due to Leuconostoc lactis". Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. 34 (10): 766–7. doi:10.1080/00365540260348572. PMID12477331. S2CID6532754.
