Paurabi Das

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21+ Staphylococcus Bacteria Examples: Detailed Facts Around It

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Staphylococcus aureus VISA edited 300x300 1

About 30% of the human population is infected by this pathogenic bacterium. Some cause pneumonia, and skin disorders, while others cause food contamination.

Staphylococcus are ubiquitous bacteria that appear as irregular clusters of coccus cells. This article provides detailed facts about Staphylococcus and also about some Staphylococcus bacteria examples.

Some important Staphylococcus bacteria examples are mentioned below

Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile opportunistic pathogen. It is well equipped with a repertoire of different virulence factors such as enterotoxin-mediated virulence, antibacterial resistance, synthesize hemolysins, nuclease, and coagulases. These are capable to survive under a wide range of temperatures ranging from 7°C to 48°C and pH ranging from 4.2 to 9.3.

Since it is desiccation-tolerant, it can survive long stressful environments and start proliferating under optimal conditions. It releases enterotoxins resulting in food contamination. It can grow in 20% NaCl solution which makes it halotolerant and also in foods with high osmolyte concentration. This is due to intracellular osmoprotectants present in higher concentrations.

staphylococcus bacteria examples
Staphylococcus aureus
From Wikimedia

The types of ailments caused by S. aureus are as follows:

  • Boils
  • Carbuncle
  • Mastitis
  • Surgical wound disorder
  • Scalded skin syndrome
  • Sepsis

Some strains of S. aureus that exhibit resistance against methicillin are referred to as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This resistance is active against beta-lactam antibiotics. Such conditions are more prevalent in hospitals and nursing homes. Initially, it was redistricted only to hospital-acquired illnesses, later it has become a community as well as livestock-acquired disorder.

staphylococcus bacteria examples
SEM of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and a dead human neutrophil
From Wikimedia

Staphylococcus epidermis

Staphylococcus epidermis is another important symbiont staph bacteria. It is coagulase- negative, catalase-positive, facultative anaerobe that occurs frequently on human skin. However, it can become opportunistic bacteria once inside the human body. It enters human body mostly through medical devices or any prosthetic devices.

This bacteria can produce efficient biofilms which protect the bacterial cells from various antibiotics. The efficiency of biofilm depends upon the protein and exopolysaccharide compounds. S. epidermis can remain as commensal bacteria for many years since it doesn’t synthesize any aggressive toxins.

staphylococcus bacteria examples
Staphylococcus epidermis
From Wikimedia

Staphylococcus saprophyticus

Staphylococcus saprophyticus is another coagulase-negative Gram positive bacteria. This bacteria doesn’t secrete hemolysin, thus it is non-hemolytic. It is recorded as the second most common bacteria responsible for UTI after E. coli.

S. saprophyticus can utilize nitrogen as it contain urease enzyme. This enzyme catabolize urea results in derivatives of ammonia. This mechanism enables the bacteria to colonize urinary tract. However the capability of utilizing urea is used to differentiate from other strains. This bacteria shows resistance against Novobiocin.

Staphylococcus lugdunensis

This coagulase-negative bacterium is responsible for skin and soft tissue inflammations. They mostly colonize skin and mucosal membranes and are more virulent as compared to other coagulase-negative species. The virulence property is due to the delta toxin- a toxin that acts as hemolytic peptide along with various enzymes such as DNase, lipase and capability to produce biofilms.

Staphylococcus haemolyticus

Similar to S. epidermis, this facultative anaerobic bacterium is also an inhabitant of human skin. This bacterium shows non-coagulase activity and can catabolize various substrates such as glucose, sucrose and trehalose. However, it can become opportunistic bacterium to immunocompromised patients as it shows various antibiotic-resistant strains. This bacterium is resistant to common antibiotic such as methicillin, erythromycin and gentamycin.

They can metabolize mannitol and thus can be distinguish from other Staphylococcus strains based on this property. Mannitol salt agar is used to select and differentiate among Staphylococcus strains. In this media, the concentration of NaCl (7.5%) acts as a selective parameter for the growth of bacteria. Strains that can assimilate mannitol releases acidic products which turn the phenol red into yellow. Thus appear as yellow-colored colonies.

Staphylococcus caprae

This is also a coagulase-negative staph bacterium that is originally isolated from goats. However, the other members of this species are of human origin. It synthesizes DNase, and biofilm and is found to colonize human skin and mucosal membrane. It is a commensal bacteria in goats and it is acquired as bone and joint inflammation in humans.

Staphylococcus capitis

This bacterium colonizes the human scalp, face, ear, and scrotum. This is not a harmful pathogen for common human being, however in immunocompromised patients, it can invade and causes serious

Staphylococcus xylosus

This is a coagulase-negative commensal bacterium that usually occur in salami fermentation. Since Staphylococcus genus is resistant to certain antibiotics, S. xylosus is resistant to novobiocin. However sensitive towards penicillin, erythromycin, tetracycline and methicillin. It can utilize various carbohydrate substrates such as lactose, maltose, D-(+) galactose and D-(+) mannose.

Staphylococcus vitulinus

This coagulase-negative bacteria is usually isolated from the meat of lamb, and chicken and also from animals such as horses, and whale. It has clustered cocci cells. This is often found in soybean fermentation.

Staphylococcus simulans

This species of Staphylococcus is rarely associated with human skin and UTI. It is also coagulase-negative and often remain in pairs or in clusters.

Staphylococcus simiae

This clustered cocci was first isolated from squirrel monkeys of South America and showed genetically related to S. aureus. This is an anaerobic, mesophilic, novobiocin-susceptible bacterium.

Staphylococcus sciuri

This is an important pathogenic bacteria that are responsible for inflammatory ailments, and also sepsis. It is a novobiocin-resistant and oxidase-positive bacterium usually prevalent in the hospital environment.

Staphylococcus rostri

This non-motile, catalase-positive, coagulase-negative bacterium was isolated from the noses of pigs display α-haemolysis on sheep blood agar. This strain can be differentiated from other Staphylococcus strains by absence of mannose fermentation, β-glucuronidase activity and presence of alkaline phosphatase activity.

Staphylococcus arlettae

This halotolerant, novobiocin-resistant bacterium is usually isolated from the skin of birds and mammals. It is present in clustered cocci. This bacteria can degrade azo dyes thus frequently isolated from effluents of textile industry.

Staphylococcus auricularis

This bacterium is an inhabitant of the human ear present either in pairs or in tetrads. It shows poor hemolytic activity.

Staphylococcus borealis

This facultative anaerobe is isolated from human blood culture from the University Hospital of North Norway. It is coccoid in morphology and usually forms clusters.

Staphylococcus carnosus

This bacterium is often used as a starter for sausage fermentation. This occurs in pairs or sometimes present singly. It contains GC content of about 36.4%. This bacterium has become a versatile microbiological tool in food fermentation.

Staphylococcus equorum

This clustered coccoid bacterium was isolated from the skin of horses and showed similarity genetically with S. xylosus. Some strains are also isolated from sausages while others are from Swiss mountain cheeses.

Staphylococcus gallinarum

This is isolated from human saliva and is closely related to S. epidermis. It is generally not pathogenic however it is often associated with patients suffering from Hepatitis B and eye contamination. These remain in pairs, clustered, or singly.

Staphylococcus nepalensis

This catalase-positive non-motile bacterium was isolated from respiratory tract of goats. The GC content is about 33%. It grows well in 10% NaCl

Staphylococcus pettenkoferi

This bacterium has been recently described in the year 2007. It is a spherical, non-motile, facultative anaerobic, coagulase negative commensal bacteria. It grows well in ambient environment.

Staphylococcus saccharolyticus

This bacterium is slow-growing usually found on human skin and shows 80% nucleotide similarity with S. capitis. Formerly it was known as Peptococcus saccharolyticus. It is responsible for endocarditis.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Staphylococcus bacteria?

Staphylococcus also includes pathogenic bacteria, are common colonizers of skin and mucosal membranes of human. The name Staphylococcus comes from Greek word “staphyle” which means grape and “kokkos” means berry.

Staphylococcus bacteria are also known as staph belongs to the family Staphylococcaceae. These are non-sporing, small, spherical, halotolerant, osmotolerant, facultatively chemoorganotrophic, non-motile, Gram-positive bacteria with 0.5-1 µm in diameter. They occur either singly or in irregular clusters. The cell wall of Staphylococcus consists of peptidoglycan along with murein, teichoic acid, and other surface anchored proteins.

Staphylococci can be divided into pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains based on the capability to synthesize the enzyme coagulase. Coagulase is an enzyme required for converting fibrinogen to fibrin that causes the plasma to clot. Staphylococcus aureus is the most important pathogenic bacterium capable of synthesizing coagulase and can be differentiated from other Staphylococci strains by growing on blood agar. Thus, frequently referred to as coagulase-positive.

Staphylococci can be further divided into slime producers and non-slime producers. The potential to synthesize slime is often considered a marker for pathogenic strains. Slime is a viscous, extracellular polysaccharide that allows bacteria to produce biofilm and also to adhere to smooth surfaces. It provides resistance against various antibiotics such as vancomycin and teicoplanin. The slime production is determined by using Congo red agar which differentiates between slime-forming and non-sliming forming strains.

Where are Staphylococcus bacteria found?

They are spread by either an asymptotic carrier or an infected person. Staphylococci can permeate almost every tissue of the body of an immune-compromised patient. Along with Streptococci, these bacteria manifest various pus-forming contamination such as boils, abscesses, and pneumonia.

Staphylococci are commensal bacteria that reside at various places in the human body starting from the upper respiratory tract, skin, and intestine. Some members of Staphylococci like S. epidermidis is typical skin resident while S. aureus usually inhabits the skin, oral cavity, nasal membrane, gastrointestinal tract, and urinary tracts. These bacteria can also grow on improperly cooked food, particularly ham, chicken, salad, and pastries.

Staph is responsible for food contamination. Due to heat resistance, it can escape the food processing methods and readily enter the food. They synthesize thermally stable enterotoxins which result in intoxication.

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21+ Spherical Bacteria Examples(Explained for Beginner’s)

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The morphology of the bacteria has been used as a phylogenetic tool which suggested that spherical bacteria is the most evolved morphology.

Spherical bacteria are usually spherical, ovoid, or round in shape referred as coccus (pl. -cocci). This article will provide insights regarding some spherical bacteria examples.

The spherical bacteria examples are as follows:

What are spherical bacteria?

Bacteria are single celled microorganisms that occur in various shapes. Some appear as round, spherical while others appear as rod shaped. Some of them appear as spiral shaped. Bacteria are classified based on their shapes, i.e., bacillus (rod-shaped), cocci (spherical shaped), and spirochetes (spiral-shaped).

Spherical bacteria have characteristic round or spherical shape as seen under a microscope, can be categorize depending upon the arrangement of cocci cells and also the plane of division.

Some spherical bacteria examples are listed below:

Aerococcus urinae 

It is a Gram-positive, catalase-negative spherical bacteria that appear in a cluster of cocci. These are responsible for UTI.

spherical bacteria examples
Aerococcus From Wikimedia

Chlamydia trachomatis

This is a Gram-negative coccoid-shaped bacterium. These are obligate intracellular parasites that lack the outer peptidoglycan cell wall. These are responsible for sexually transmitted disoders and infertility.

Enterococcus faecalis

This is a Gram-positive bacterium with spherical or ovoid morphology. These bacteria generate oxygen-free radicals that cause chronic inflammation and intestinal inflammation.

spherical bacteria examples
Enterococcus From Wikimedia

Moraxella catarrhalis

These Gram-negative bacilli appear as kidney-bean shaped diplococcus. This fastidious bacteria manifests inflammation in the nervous system and joints.

spherical bacteria examples
Moraxella From Wikimedia

Neisseria gonorrhoeae

This is another Gram-negative coffee bean-shaped diplococcus. They typically appear in pairs of 0.6-1um diameter usually with flattened ends. These are responsible for various sexually transmitted ailments in humans.

spherical bacteria examples
Neisseria From Wikimedia

Pediococcus acidilactici 

It is a Gram-positive, catalase-negative, non-motile homofermentative bacteria that either appear as coccoidal or ovoid in shape with  1-2.5 mm diameter. They either present in pairs or in tetrads.

Pediococcus damnosus 

This is a Gram-positive, catalase-negative, vancomycin-resistant homofermentative bacterium that appears as short chains of coccus cells. They usually thrive as obligate anaerobes in fermented foods.

Sarcina ventriculi 

These Gram-positive, obligate anaerobes occur frequently in soil with characteristic tetrad or octet cocci morphology. They can thrive at extremely low pH conditions and are associated with gastritis problems.

Staphylococcus aureus 

These Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic, pathogenic bacteria appear in characteristic grape-like cocci morphology with 1-4mm in diameter. They cause pneumonia.

spherical bacteria examples
Staphylococcus From Wikimedia

Streptococcus pneumoniae 

They display a characteristic cocci shape i.e., lancet-shaped (slightly elongated cells). They either occur in pairs or chains. It also causes respiratory contamination.

spherical bacteria examples
Streptococcus From Creative commons

Tetragenococcus halophilus

This is a Gram-positive, halophilic anaerobe, a coccoid-shaped lactic acid bacterium. They can grow in extremely salt conditions and are tolerant to 18% NaCl solution. These are extensively used in fermenting soy sauce.

Neisseria meningitidis 

This is a Gram-negative bacterium occur in pairs. They are present in nasopharynx of humans and cause bacterial meningitis.

Sporosarcina ureae

This bacterium is anaerobic, endospore-forming Gram-positive that has coccoid cells. They are arranged either in tetrads or cuboids. They are closely related to Bacilli.

Staphylococcus epidermidis

This is a facultative anaerobe, Gram-positive bacterium that occurs frequently on human skin. However, it can become opportunistic bacteria once inside the human body.

Staphylococcus haemolyticus

This bacterium shows non-coagulase activity with coccoid-shaped cells. It remains as an opportunistic bacterium for immunocompromised patients.

Staphylococcus saprophyticus

These are coagulase-negative, Gram-positive bacteria. It is associated with UTI.

Streptococcus bovis

This Gram-positive, catalase-negative, lactic acid bacterium appears as chains of cocci or remains in pairs. Mostly these are associated with UTI, sepsis, and also colorectal cancer. These are also present in the alimentary tract of ruminant animals.

Streptococcus pyogenes

These are Gram-positive, aerotolerant bacteria that appear as a chain of cocci. It causes many human problems starting from skin rashes to fatal contamination and even leading to sepsis.

Micrococcus lutues

This is a Gram-positive saprophytic bacterium that appears as a tetrad. It is catalase and urease positive and coagulase-negative. These usually occur in soil, water, and air as obligate aerobe. It is sensitive against Bacitracin.

Micrococcus lylae

This aerobic Gram-positive bacterium appears either as tetrad or irregular clusters of coccus cells. Sometimes they remain in octet form. They occur in their natural habitat.

Micrococcus roseus

These Gram-positive aerobic bacteria display pink color, slightly convex colonies with tetrad arrangement of coccus cells. It also occurs in its natural habitat.

What kinds of bacteria are spherical?

Coccus is one single cell spherical bacterial cell. Depending upon the arrangement of coccus, it can be of five types.

Diplococcus

Diplococcus bacteria (plural – diplococci) is the most common type of spherical bacteria, emerge when cocci divide and remain together as pairs. They are spherical or ovoid morphologically and occur in pairs. This morphology is present in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Gram-positive diplococcus is represented by Streptococcus and Enterococcus species, while Neisseria and Moraxella are Gram-negative spherical bacteria examples.

Streptococcus 

This group belongs to the family Streptococcaceae in the phylum Firmicutes. This bacterium is divided across a single plane and thus appears in pairs or long chains of cocci adhered together. The chain length varies with the species. Enterococcus and Lactococcus belong to the group of the lactic acid bacterium. These Gram-positive bacteria appear either in pairs or in chains.

spherical bacteria examples
Streptococcus From Wikimedia

Tetrad

The symmetrical division of cocci in two or three planes reveals a square group of cells called a tetrad, as seen in the Micrococcus genus. Micrococci bacteria are also Gram-positive bacteria that are arranged in an irregular cluster of coccus cells that often appear in tetrads. Planococcus is another genus that occurs in pairs or tetrads. Other examples are Pediococcus and Aerococcus

spherical bacteria examples
Micrococci From Wikimedia

Staphylococcus 

Another striking pattern appears in this group is an irregular grape-like structure due to the random division of cocci. This bacterium divides sequentially along the perpendicular planes. Such divisions are less common among the bacterial cells. However, short chains are also seen in fluid smear. 

spherical bacteria examples
Staphylococci From Wikipedia

Sarcina

Sarcina is Gram-positive cocci in the family Clostridiaceae. The word ‘sarcina’ means “pack of bundle”. These bacteria are arranged characteristic tetrad that resembles a cube-like octet. This arrangement occurs through three perpendicular divisions of the cells resulting in the formation of a cuboid cluster. This morphology is a striking feature of anaerobic bacteria.

spherical bacteria examples
Sarcina From Creative commons

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21+ Spoilage Bacteria Examples: Detailed Facts Around It

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Since micro-organisms and food are intrinsically associated with each other. This article will describe the facts regarding spoilage bacteria and its examples.

Food spoilage can be defined as biochemical processes aided by microorganisms, especially bacteria that deteriorate the quality of the food. Food contains a nutritional value that acts as a medium for bacteria to grow and proliferate.

Some spoilage bacteria examples are listed below.

Types of spoilage bacteria

The spoilage bacteria can be either non-spore-forming bacteria or spore-forming bacteria.

Spore-forming bacteria are a major threat to thermally treated foods. They can thrive in low acidic foods which are processed by heat while others can survive in refrigerated foods due to their psychrotrophic nature. Both chemical and physical procedures cannot fully eliminate the spores which activate at certain environmental conditions such as low pH, and sub-optimal heat.

The non-spore-forming spoilage bacteria examples are as follows:

Brochothrix spp.

It is a common spoilage bacterium which mostly invade chilled raw meat products. The two important members of this genus Brochothrix are B. thermosphacta and B. campertris. B. thermosphacta largely present in chilled raw meat products of pork, lamb and fish. It is a Gram-positive rod shaped and facultative anaerobic bacteria.

Since these are psychrotrophs, they can thrive at refrigeration temperature ranges from 0° C to 30 °C with pH range 5-9. The spoilage enhances greatly at anaerobic condition where it produces lactic acid and ethanol aided by increased CO2 levels.

Carnobacterium spp.

This Gram-positive lactic acid bacterium (LAB) often flourishes at vacuum or modified environment in packaged meat, seafoods as well as in dairy products. The members of this genus are Carnobacterium divergens and Carnobacterium maltaromaticum. These species are tolerant to freezing temperature and present in high pressure processed, frozen seafoods and meat.

Lactobacillus spp.

The order Lactobacillales includes the most versatile spoilage bacteria which are Gram-positive, acid tolerant and non-sporulating. These bacteria share common physiological and metabolic processes and mostly involved in carbohydrate fermentation.  

Lactobacillus casei –

This species frequently found in dairy products, survives at wide pH and temperature range. It is used in maturing cheddar cheese, and also our favourite Mozzarella cheese.

Lactobacillus curvatus –

These bacteria are facultative heterofermentative LAB that produces ethanol or acetic acid and CO2 as byproducts during glucose fermentation. They cannot survive in high salt concentration. It is mostly present in sausages, milk and winery raw materials.

Lactobacillus plantarum –

It is a sizeable member of the genus Lactobacillus frequently found in meat and processed fermented food items such as pickles, brine solution and cheese. It a Gram-positive aerotolerant bacteria that can survive at 15°C and also in 4% NaCl solution. It produces both isomers of lactic acid (D and L).

spoilage bacteria examples
Lactobacillus
From Wikimedia

Pediococcus spp.

This genus contain Gram-positive homofermentative bacteria usually occurring in pairs or tetrads. It increases viscosity by producing excessive glucans in beer and wine.  

Streptococcus spp.

These non-spore-forming Gram-positive, anaerobic facultative bacteria play an important role in the fermentation industry. These bacteria are non-motile, don’t produce endospores, and can survive at 35-42°C. in contrast to pathogenic bacteria species, Streptococcus thermophiles is responsible for the fermentation of dairy products. In addition, it lowers the bitterness of the cheese with minimum moisture.

spoilage bacteria examples
Streptococcus
From Wikimedia

Lactococcus spp.

This genus is extensively used in the dairy industry due to its homofermentative metabolism. These bacteria are capable of producing both isomers of lactic acid, however, D- isomer is produced only at low pH. They are Gram-positive, nonmotile cocci bacteria, often found in chains. Eg. Lactococcus lactis.

spoilage bacteria examples
Lactococcus lactis
From Wikimedia

Leuconostoc spp

This genus is Gram-positive heterofermentative anaerobic bacteria which produces dextran from sucrose. Eg. Leuconostoc carnosum. It is present in vacuum-packed, chilled meat items results in souring and slime formation.

Kurthia spp

Kurthia belongs to the genus of coryneform bacteria predominantly associated with unpleasant taste, foul smell and taints of both processed and fresh meat. They are aerobic bacteria often appear in chains or rods. Eg. Kurthia zopfiienus

Weissella spp.

Weissella is a Gram-positive non-endospore forming bacteria belonging to the group of LAB. They inhabit in variety of foods such as milk, vegetables as well as other fermented foods. Eg. Weissella minor produces either D-lactic acid or a mixture of D (-)- and L (-)- lactic acid and acetic acid along with CO2 after carbohydrate metabolism.

The spore-forming spoilage bacteria examples are as follows:

Spore-former bacteria group are dominated by two major groups namely the aerobic Bacillus species and the anaerobic Clostridium species. The family Bacillaceae includes wide range of bacteria starting from mesophiles, psychrotrophs and thermophiles inhabiting in extreme environmental conditions.

Clostridia is a well-known bacterial class including both pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. They are obligate anaerobes and involved in spoilage of canned foods.  They release characteristic bad smell due to the formation of butyric acid by as a by-product during fermentation. They undergo anaerobic proteolysis resulting in putrefaction of the food.

Bacillus sporothermodurans

This bacterium produces heat-resistant spores that can withstand high-temperature and industrial sterilization processes. The spores are found in thermally treated dairy products (whole, skimmed and evaporated milk) and also in milk powders.

spoilage bacteria examples
Bacillus
From Wikimedia

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

This bacterium is closely related to Bacillus substilis and share homologous genes. They occur in the summer at 25°C and 30°C with pH 5-9. B. amyloliquefaciens contamination in bread is often characterized by unpleasant fruity smell along with soft, sticky texture resulting it inedible.

Geobacillus stearothermophilus

Geobacillus stearothermophilus is a thermophilic spoilage bacterium which produces acids but doesn’t release any gas during contamination. These bacteria can survive at elevated temperature ranges from 50°C to 55°C with pH around 5.3 by synthesizing heat-tolerant enzymes and proteins. Since they are tolerant to high temperatures thus it causes significant damage to pasteurized milk and other dairy products.

Bacillus coagulans

This bacterium is able to grow at lower pH (below 4.0) which compels it to thrive as a facultative anaerobe, thermotolerant and acidophilic bacteria. They are readily found in canned vegetables and cause severe acidification of food items referred as ‘flat sour spoilage’ due to lactic acid formation without any traces of gas.

Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris

This bacterium is an obligate acidophile which grows substantially at low pH ranges from 2.5 to 5.5 and at temperature 25°C to 60°C. The spores are more resistant to heat as compared to other spore-formers. They cause extensive spoilage of processed canned fruits and vegetables and even escapes pasteurization.

Clostridium butyricum

These are butyric anaerobes frequently associated with spoilage of canned foods with pH values ranges from 3.9-4.5.

Clostridium sporogenes

They are anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium often found in long chains. It plays an important role in food spoilage. This bacterium typically produces burst packs with a strong foul unpleasant smell. They inhabit in variety of places such as soil, marine and freshwater environment and also in preserved meat and dairy products. They are closely linked to malicious bacterium C. botulinum phylogenetically.

Clostridium putrefaciens

These bacteria are a major concern in ham curing industry because it can thrive in 4% NaCl as well as 100 ppm NaNO2 solution. They are anaerobes, mesophilic bacteria which liberate characteristic smell from meat along with softening of the meat.   

spoilage bacteria examples
Clostridium
From Wikimedia

Desulfotomaculum nigrificans

These are thermophilic polyphyletic spore forming bacteria. Its contamination results into blackened product of canned sweet corn, after reacting with H2S produced by the bacteria.  

Besides non-pathogenic bacteria, some pathogenic bacteria are also involved in food spoilage. The spoilage bacteria examples are Brucella spp., Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Escherichia spp.

Brucellae spp.

These are a group of Gram negative non-sporing bacteria. Effective pasteurization reduces Brucella spp count significantly in dairy products. However optimal pH (6.6-7.4) also influences its growth and proliferation. The contamination in human spreads after consumption of unpasteurized and uncooked meat.

Campylobacter spp.

They require temperature of around 41°C and pH of about 6.5-7.5 to thrive outside the host bodies.

Salmonellae spp.

These are another pathogenic group of facultative anaerobic bacteria responsible for foodborne outbreaks. These are Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria. Salmonella enterica and S. bongori are the two most important bacteria of this group responsible for spoilage.

spoilage bacteria examples
Salmonella enterica
From Wikimedia

Escherichia spp.

This genus is characterized by Gram negative, non-spore formers, facultative anaerobic bacteria. Thermal processing can reduce the contamination substantially. Escherichia coli is a common food spoilage bacterium with pathogenicity.

spoilage bacteria examples
Escherichia coli
From Wikimedia

What are spoilage bacteria?

This group comprises a wide range of bacteria that are present in various processed chilled foods like meat and dairy products and undergoes characteristic metabolic processes such as proteolysis and putrefaction along with distinct spoilage attributes.

Spoilage bacteria are single-celled microorganisms. Spoilage is dictated by the type of bacteria and its requirements required to survive. It is also dependent upon the intrinsic and extrinsic factors of the food and storage conditions.

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