Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) are a group of Gram-negative bacteria that oxidize sugars or ethanol and produce acetic acid during fermentation. The acetic acid bacteria consist of 10 genera in the family Acetobacteraceae.

The growth of Acetobacter in wine can be suppressed through effective sanitation, by complete exclusion of air from wine in storage, and by the use of moderate amounts of sulfur dioxide in the wine as a preservative.

Metabolism

Vinegar is produced when acetic acid bacteria act on alcoholic beverages such as wine. Specific oxidation reactions occur through oxidative fermentation, which creates vinegar as a byproduct. In the biotechnological industry, these bacteria's oxidation mechanism is exploited to produce a number of compounds such as l-ascorbic acid, dihydroxyacetone, gluconic acid, and cellulose. Besides food industry, some acetic acid bacteria are used as biocatalysts for the industrial production of compounds. They are used as the important biocatalysts for the development of eco-friendly fermentation processes as an alternative to the chemical synthesis. something normally done only by plants.

References

Further reading

  • Ecological occurrence of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus and nitrogen-fixing Acetobacteraceae members: their possible role in plant growth promotion 2008. Microb Ecol. 55(1):130-40.
  • Genera and species in acetic acid bacteria, 2008 Int. J. Food Microbiol. Volume 125, Issue 1, Pages 15–24.
  • Polyphasic taxonomy of acetic acid bacteria: An overview of the currently applied methodology, 2008 Int. J. Food Microbiol. Volume 125, Issue 1, Pages 2–14
  • Biotechnological applications of acetic acid bacteria, 2008, Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, Volume 28, Issue 2, 101-124
  • Evaluation of viability and growth of Acetobacter senegalensis under different stress conditions, 2013 Int. J. Food Microbiol.Volume 163, issue 2-3, 204-213
  • International conference on acetic acid bacteria