Alcohol Production by Fish Spoilage Bacteria

Abstract

Bacterial isolates (244) identified to genera were tested for their ability to produce ethanol, isopropanol and propanol in a fish tissue extract. All of the isolates produced ethanol and 241 and 227 produced isopropanol and propanol, respectively. One high alcohol producing member of each of the groups Moraxella-like, Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Micrococcus and coryneforms was selected for utilization of fish components as substrates in production of alcohol. The substrates tested included four sugars, nine amino acids and lactic and pyruvic acids. Although there were some variations in the levels of alcohols produced by the test organisms from the substrates, the organisms appeared to prefer simple 5 and 6 carbon sugars and then utilized the free amino acids. The level of oxygenation greatly affected the levels of alcohols produced.