When was L. mesenteroides first discovered?

    Pasteur first observed the production of polysaccharide slime from sugar in 1861 and attributed this to small cocci, presumably the Leuconostoc species. It was also seen by Cienkowski in 1878. He reported the first microbiological study of sugar slimes and he isolated Leusonostoc mesenteroides from them.

Beneficial Properties

     Are there any ways that Leuconostoc mesenteroides helps the environment?

    Leuconostoc Mesenteroides creates dextrans as a byproduct when it breaks down the sucrose in sugar cane. We use dextrans for many things like manufacturing blood plasma extenders, heparin substitutes for anticoagulate therapy and for some cosmetics.

    It's also used in a variey of ways in the food fermentation. The foods that it helps to ferment include:

1. Western world: yogurt, sourdough breads, sauerkraut, cucumber pickles and olives
2. Middle East: pickled vegetables
3. Korea: kimchi (fermented mixture of Chinese cabbage, radishes, red pepper, garlic and ginger)
4. Russia: kefir
5. Egypt: laban rayab and laban zeer (fermented milks), kishk (fermented cereal and milk mixture)
6. Nigeria: gari (fermented cassava)
7. South Africa : magou (fermented maize porridge)
8. Thailand : nham (fermented fresh pork)
9. Philippines : balao balao (fermented rice and shrimp mixture)

Problems Associated With the Loss of Leuconostoc Mesenteroides in the Environment

     If you woke up one day and Leuconostoc mesenteroides was not there, would it affect the environment in any way?

    We would not be able to make many fermented foods easily. Though it would be easier for sugar cane production because there would not be dextrans in the cane. The loss of dextrans though, makes it harder to make blood plasma extenders, and it would be harder to make some cosmetics.