Lactobacillus brevis

Taxobox
name = "Lactobacillus brevis"
regnum = Bacteria
divisio = Firmicutes
classis = Bacilli
ordo = Lactobacillales
familia = Lactobacillaceae
genus = "Lactobacillus"
species = "L. brevis"
binomial = "Lactobacillus brevis"

"Lactobacillus brevis" is a species of lactic acid bacteria. It can be found in many different environments and in fermented foods such as sauerkraut and pickles. It is also one of the most common causes of beer spoilage. Ingestion has been shown to improve human immune function, and it has been patented several times.

"L. brevis" is one of the major "Lactobacillus" species found in tibicos grains (aka water kefir grains), and has been identified as the species responsible for the production of the polysaccharide (dextran) that forms the grains. Major metabolites of "L. brevis" include lactic acid and ethanol. Strains of "L. brevis" and "L. hilgardii" have been found to produce the biogenic amines tyramine and phenylethylamine.

References

* Tasli L, Mat C, De Simone C, Yazici H (2006). Lactobacilli lozenges in the management of oral ulcers of Behcet's syndrome. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17067433 Abstract]
* Kishi A, Uno K, Matsubara Y, Okuda C, Kishida T (1996). Effect of the oral administration of Lactobacillus brevis subsp. coagulans on interferon-alpha producing capacity in humans. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=8829098 Abstract]
* Pidoux (1988). The microbial flora of sugary kefir grain (the gingerbeer plant): biosynthesis of the grain from Lactobacillus hilgardii producing a polysaccharide gel. [http://www.springerlink.com/content/k5n5754r5l203h5u Abstract]