described, but 9o% of spoilage has been attributed to a single species P. damnosus
Pediococcus is responsible for the classic beer spoilage condition. involves excess sarcina sickness which, in its extreme form. acidity, turbidity, a granular sediment, rope formation and off flavours due to diacetyl formation. Such spoilage, however, occurs only when growth been extensive and in other situations diacetyl production alone is of greatest importance. The threshold level of diacetyl is very low in lager ca. 0.12 mg/l) and as few as cells/ml can produce readily detectable levels of diacetyl at 2 101 up to 0.36 mg/l. Spoilage may therefore occur in the absence of visible turbidity. Pediococci are contaminants of pitching and grow throughout fermentation and storage and in the finished beer. The organism has a high level of resistance to commonly used sanitizers and is able to colonize equipment which then serves as a focus of infection