A Taxonomic Study of <i>Staphylococcus</i> spp. Isolated from Fermented Sausages

Abstract

ABSTRACT Computer assisted numerical analysis was done on 182 characters for each of 107 strains, including 79 Gram‐positive, catalase‐positive, facultatively anaerobic cocci from 14 different types of fermented sausage offered for retail sale in the UK. The majority of meat isolates was identified with Staphylococcus xylosus (38%), saprophyticus (29%) or warneri (10%); eight isolates were left unassigned to a species. The identification matrix derived from these data provided the basis for objective differentiation of isolates from fermented meats.