Microflora and Invert Sugars in Juice from Healthy Tissue of Stored Sugarbeets

Abstract

Bacterial populations increased in juice of healthy tissue of sugarbeet roots stored at 5 C. Average counts showed a sixfold increase after 150 days of storage. Invert sugar levels increased over threefold in “American 4 Hybrid A” and remained fairly constant in “Mono-Hy D-2.” The former cultivar also had significantly higher bacterial colony counts than the latter before 90 days of storage. Of 36 isolates identified, 16 were Pseudomonas spp. including P. chlororaphis ; 6 Bacillus spp. including B. subtilis ; 5 Arthrobacter spp. including A. globiformis ; 4 yeasts; 2 Erwinia spp.; 2 Flavobacterium spp. including F. aquatile ; and Streptomyces longisporus . Isolates of all genera except S. longisporus were able to hydrolyze sucrose in vitro.