Growth of the three strains was slow on D-glucose and fast on D-fructose (Endo et al., 2009).
Growth on D-glucose was enhanced in the presence of 1 % (w/v) pyruvate or under aerobic conditions, suggesting that an electron acceptor enhanced the growth of the novel strains. Growth enhancement by the presence of pyruvate is unknown for
the phylogenetic relatives of the novel strains. Aerobic culturing repressed the growth of the three novel strains on agar plates. Based on this and on the end products from
glucose, the new strains are classified as facultatively
fructophilic LAB (Endo et al., 2009). The three new isolates
represent the only facultatively fructophilic LAB so far
described.