title: A numerical taxonomic study of the Pseudomonas flora isolated from poultry meat.
abstract: Pseudomonas strains were isolated from both fresh and cold-stored broiler skin. Phenotypically-based numerical taxonomic techniques were used to characterize the isolates and 36 reference strains. For this purpose, Biolog GN Microplates, API 20NE and a number of other biochemical tests were used. Jaccard clustering revealed the predominance of four major Pseudomonas groups: Ps. fragi, Ps. lundensis, strains belonging to Ps. fluorescens biovars and an unidentified group of strains displaying a high degree of similarity to Ps. fluorescens biovars. Within Ps. fluorescens, biovar A was best represented. The marked proteolytic character of members of Ps. fluorescens biovars A, B and C, as well as of members of the unidentified cluster, supports their possible role in the origin of organoleptic defects. In the Ps. lundensis cluster, a distinct group of Ps. lundensis-like species was found. Further genotypic studies should be carried out to clarify the taxonomic status of the Ps. lundensis-like strains and that of the unidentified group resembling Ps. fluorescens biovars A and B.
authors.affiliation: University of Gent, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Food Inspection, Merelbeke, Belgium. isabelle.rollier@rug.ac.be
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arnaut-Rollier
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vauterin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Massart
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Devriese
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Zutter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Hoof
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D011551:Pseudomonas fluorescens / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology