Group of bacteria (MSB) that are one of the few that can survive in an acidic solution. They do not require oxygen - they are therefore anaerobic bacteria for which oxygen is poisonous, so to speak. Lactic acid bacteria occur naturally in milk and are involved in the production of cheese, yoghurt and sour milk, among other things. They are present in small numbers in grapes and only multiply there to a limited extent. They are barely active during alcoholic fermentation and can only develop to a very limited extent.
In terms of their carbohydrate metabolism, a distinction is made between homofermentative and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria. Homofermentative lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum only produce lactic acid. The heterofermentative strains such as Oenococcus oeni also produce ethanol(alcohol), acetic acid, carbon dioxide and other - sometimes undesirable - by-products.
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Roman Horvath MW
Domäne Wachau (Wachau)