Acid Bacteria Microbiota of Raw Vegetables and Fruits

Lactic Acid Bacteria Microbiota of Raw Vegetables and Fruits 

Microorganisms are found in almost all ecological niches. Plants may provide a variety of nutrients and are, therefore, attractive hosts for microorganisms. Microorganisms colonize plant surfaces (epiphytes) or plant tissues (endophytes) (Vorholt 2012). Overall, phylloplane niches are characterized by extended variability, which is determined by several factors (Paramithiotis et al. 2012). The lack of stomata in some fruits (e.g., tomatoes) is an important factor to be considered. Non-injured fmit skins 

Biotechnology of Lactic Acid Bacteria Novel Applications, Second Edition. Edited by Fernanda Mozzi, Raul R. Raya, and Graciela M. Vignolo. 

Molecular t5q)ing of LAB isolated from vegetables and fruits should be useful to group them into several clusters, which reflect their distribution in the raw matrix and, presumptively, their way of entry. For instance, strains of Lact. plantarum were mainly isolated from the outer and inner ring of pineapple fruit, indicating these layers as their optimal niches (Di Cagno et al. 2010). Besides, 

---