Sugar Alcohols

Abstract

With the exception of one strain of Aerobader aerogenes all organisms studied (25 strains of Escherichia coli) fermented sorbitol. All of the propylene-glycol-positive and 2 of the propylene-glycol-negative, Esch. coli, and all of the "intermediates" fermented sorbose. Eberthella typhosa was unable to utilize sorbose; members of the Salmonella group formed acid but no gas from this sugar. The removal of one molecule of water from sorbitol which results in the formation of styracitol alters its utilization by many bacteria of the colon-aerogenes group. Pinitol, primulitol and hydroxypyruvic aldehyde fermentation studies may lead to further methods of distinguishing Salmonella paratyphi from S. shottmuerreli. Since none of the intermediates studied fermented pinitol and some of the Escherichia group were able to utilize it, this sugar may be of some value in the identification of the group. The fermentation reactions of the colon-aerogenes group on pinitol, primulitol and hydroxypyruvic aldehyde is so varied that more complete studies are necessary to determine their taxonomic value.