Studies on Hiochi (Part II)

Several characters of hiochi-bacteria

Abstract

The several characters of 69 strains of hiochi-bacteria were examined and compared with Lactobacillus heterohiochii H-1, L. japonicus H-7 and L. fermenti H-34 as the reference strains.
The hiochi-bacteria were composed of 44 strains of hetero-fermentative genuine hiochi-bacteria, 14 strains of homo-fermentative genuine hiochi-bacteria, 5 strains of hetero-fermentataive hiochi-natured lactobacilli and 5 strains of homo-fermentative hiochi-natured lactobacilli. Homo-fermentative microorganisms of strain S-35 seemed to exhibit intermediate characters between genuine hiochi-bacteria and hiochi-natured lactobacilli.
Hetero-fermentative genuine hiochi-bacteria showed strong assimilation of glucose and fructose, and produced dl-lactic acid. On the other hand, homo-feamentative genuine hiochi-bacteria assimilated only glucose and mannose, and producecd dl- or dl-F 1-lactic acid. The microorganisms of strain S-35 assimilated glucose, sucrose and mannose.
Hiochi-natured lactobacilli group was composed of various species of lactobacilli.