Polysaccharide production by Pediococcus pentosaceus from wine

Two polymer-forming strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus from Argentinian wines were grown under different conditions. Polysaccharides were produced independently of carbon source at the early logarithmic phase of growth. With the presence of ethanol and SO2, the specific polymers production was greater. The polysaccharides comprised of glucose, fructose and galactose, with predominant linkages of α-1,4- and α-1,6-glucosidic with a ratio 1:1. They contained approximately 5500 hexose molecules.