PCR detection of Gram-negative brewery contaminants - present state

Gram-negative brewery contaminants, including certain Pectinatus, Megasphaera, Selenomonas, Zymophilus and Zymomonas species, acetic acid bacteria and enterobacteria, constitute a diverse group of spoilage organisms. Routine methods for their detection often lack speed and specificity. In this paper, alternative methods based on PCR are presented, compared and discussed. Standard PCR, real-time PCR and PCR-ELISA assays have been developed for the detection of different species, genera and groups of Gram-negative bacteria in beer and process samples. Most of the assays allow more specific and rapid detection of these contaminants than cultivation. Various detection formats have their specific advantages and disadvantages