Stimulation of the growth of leuconostoc oenos by tomato juice

Summary Tomato juice contains a growth factor (TJF) active for some strains of Leuconostoc oenos but not required by other lactic acid bacteria. TJF does not appear to be identical with any known growth factor, is of limited distribution in natural products and is destroyed by the growth of most strains of Leuconostoc oenos and by Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus cerevisiae.TJF is essential for the growth of Leuconostoc oenos NCDO 1674 when organic acids are in a medium with an initial pH of 4.8 and incubated at 22° C and also with an initial pH of 6.0 and incubated at 30° C. Under the first conditions only and in the absence of organic acids Tween 80 is essential for growth if tomato juice is absent.