Streptococcus Thermophilus

Introduction :

Streptococcus thermophilus is an essential lactic acid bacterium used for commercial purposes, which includes the production of milk, cheese, and other dairy products. This organism is a thermophilic Gram-positive bacterium with an optimal growth rate at 45 °C. It is also capable of generating energy, in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), by aerobic respiration with the presence of oxygen; however, without the presence of oxygen, it still can produce ATP through fermentation. S. thermophilus lacks cytochrome, oxidase, and catalase enzymes. It does not have motility and it does not form spores. Although S. thermophilus is closely related to other pathogenic streptococci (such as S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes), S. thermophilus is classified as a non-pathogenic, alpha-hemolytic species that is part of the viridians group. The increasing consumer need for dairy products and booming manufacture of dairy products ($40 billion industry) led to the investigation and sequencing of S. thermophilus.

Function :

1. Streptococcus thermophilus is usually used in the production of milk, cheese, and other dairy   products.

 2.Streptococcus thermophiles was isolated from yoghurt. S. thermophilus breaks down the   pyruvate into lactic acid and acetaldehyde and the bacterium is healthy for the host organism that   consumes it and combines this microbe with the rest of its internal flora.

   3. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for body health for it could improve   digestive system, it could classify into Lactobacillus, bifidobacterium, gram positive coccus, have   helpful for Irritable bowel syndrome,Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Infectious diarrhea (caused   by viruses, bacteria, or parasites), Antibiotic-related diarrhea and so on.

Application :

 Streptococcus thermophilus is one of the most widely used bacteria in the dairy industry. Although   its genus, Streptococcus, includes some pathogenic species, food industries consider   Streptococcus thermophilus a safer bacterium than many other Streptococcus species. yogurt and   cheese that contain live cultures of  Streptococcus thermophilus are thought to be beneficial to   health. Live cultures of  Streptococcus thermophilus make it easier for people who are lactose-   intolerant to digest dairy products. The bacteria break down lactose, the sugar in milk that lactose-   intolerants find difficult to digest.