
	Inventory of Microorganisms with a documented history of use in food

SCOPE

In order to classify traditionally used microorganisms (starter cultures) as safe food ingredients, The IDF (International Dairy Federation) action team representatives in collaboration with EFFCA (European Food and Fed Cultures Association) has made an inventory of microorganisms with a documented history of use in food. The inventory is supplied with explanatory text dealing with taxonomic changes that have taken place over time. The use of the microorganisms is documented by sales information and through literature references.

The inventory is by no means exhaustive, and is based on the knowledge of the participating experts, not that of the whole industry. This inventory is intended for information only, not as a complete inventory of microorganisms for use in food, or to exclude any other existing products unknown to the participating experts.
The list mentions “major applications” for the included culture or strain. This in formation is taken from the literature and does not imply that the strain or culture is suited for use in other applications.

Introduction

During historic time microorganisms have constituted an integral part of fermented foods like: wine, beer, dairy products, bread and fermented vegetables. At the turn of this century the science of microbiology advanced very fast and the role of microbes in the fermentation of foods became understood. Commercial starter cultures for use in the fermented food industry were developed. During the past three decades biotechnology has made it possible to develop new type of foods. It is now possible, for example, to construct microorganisms with new and improved properties for use as starter cultures.

IDF and EFFCA has jointly produced this inventory of starter species for which a documented history for use in food manufacture to a significant degree^*) exists, as there may be cases where it is not obvious whether or not a lactic acid bacteria species or strains of this species, alone or contained in a starter culture have been used for human consumption to a significant degree. The history of use in foods of the species in the inventory is documented by scientific literature references and statements in good faith from the companies producing and selling strains belonging to the species or cultures composed of or containing strains belonging to the species.

The inventory contains species that have a record for use in food production either as single strain cultures, single species cultures of multiple species cultures as defined by International Dairy Federation (IDF standard 149A:1997). The specie/strain may also be contained in a commercial starter culture composed of otherwise unknown species.
Strains may exist that have been used by food manufacture without being recognised.
The inventory is conservative as many commonly used artisanal starter cultures contain a variety of strains belonging to the different species for which no documented record exists. To this must be added that natural changes due to mutations may be expected in an undefined artisanal starter culture.

Bergeys Manual of Systematic Bacteriology (9th Edition, 1986) is now in many respects out of date, as many of the microorganisms recorded has been renamed due to the development of genetic methodologies in the classification. It also has to be considered that the taxonomy of lactic acid bacteria and other food microorganisms have been subject to changes. Strains have been merged and new strains have been added.

As such, the inventory is not comprehensive and should be regarded as a “live inventory” to which new entities may be added and modifications made in accordance with the “state of the art”.

The inventory consists of lactic acid bacteria and some other bacterial species belonging to Enterococcus, Streptococcus, as well as yeasts and moulds. These strains used by the food industry have a long history of use in food without any adverse effects.

^*) The term “Used in food to a significant degree” is in this list defined as:Species or cultures sold for human consumption in quantities exceeding an equivalent of 10 kg of freeze dried culture. This amount of culture used for inoculation in amounts of 0,01 % corresponds to a produced amount of app. 100 tonnes of fermented products containing approx. 10⁸microorganisms per gram of product.

MICROORGANISMS WITH A DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF USE IN FOODS.
EFFCA/IDF– inventory of microorganisms with documented history of use in human food.
Used since#	Group / Genera / Species	Major application(s)	Reference	Taxonomy
	Bacteria
	Arthrobacter
1997	Arthrobacter globiformis	Citrus fermentation to remove limonin and reduce bitterness.	22)	17a)
<1996	Arthrobacter nicotianae	Cheese maturation.	115)	17a)
	Bacillus
1996	Bacillus coagulans	Sold as probiotic culture for humans and animals. ^**)	23), 24)	17a)
	Bifidobacterium
1991	Bifidobacterium adolescentis	Used in fermented milks. Probiotic properties. ^**)	1), 25), 23)	17a)
1980	Bifidobacterium animalis	Used in fermented milks. Probiotic properties. ^**)	23), 26)	17a)
1970	Bifidobacterium bifidum	Used in fermented milk as probiotic ingredient.^**)	23),	17a)
1980	Bifidobacterium breve	Used as probiotics in fermented milks and infant formulas. ^**).	27), 28), 23)	17a)
1980	Bifidobacterium infantis	Used as probiotics in fermented milks and infant formulas. ^**)	28), 23)	17a)
1980	Bifidobacterium lactis = (B. animalis)	Fermented milks with probiotic properties. Common in European fFermented milks. (Similar to B. animalis. Species named in 1997.)^**)	26), 28), 23)	17a)
1980	Bifidobacterium longum	Fermented milks with probiotic properties.^**)	29), 30), 23)	17a)
1991	Bifidobacterium pseudolongum	Fermented milk and probiotic for animals.	31)	17a)
	Brevibacterium
1992	Brevibacterium casei	Used for cheese production.	4)	17a), 4)
1960	Brevibacterium linens	Used for cheese production.	4)	17a), 4)
	Corynebacterium
1997	Corynebacterium ammoniagenes	Cheese ripening.	116)	17a)
<1996	Corynebacterium flavescens	Used in cheese ripening cultures.	35)	17a)
	Enterobacter
1982	Enterobacter aerogenes	Bread fermentation. ^**)	117)	17a)
	Enterococcus
1982	Enterococcus durans	Cheese and sour dough fermentation and used as human probiotic.	9)	17a)
1980	Enterococcus faecium	Cheese and fermented milk with probiotic effect.	2), 36)	17a)
	Hafnia
<1996	Hafnia alvei	Ground beef and ripening of meat.	37)	17a)
	Halomonas
1980	Halomonas elongata	Ripening of ham.	20)	17a)
	Kocuria