Acid formation by mixed cultures of cariogenic strains of Streptococcus mutans and Veillonella alcalescens

The fermentation products of the anaerobic glucose degradation by pure and mixed cultures of Strep. mutans and Veillonella were investigated. Lactic acid was mainly produced by Strep. mutans with small amounts of acetic and formic acid; V. alcalescens was not able to ferment glucose. It appears that a food chain is formed by both bacteria in mixed batch culture; lactate produced by Strep. mutans is fermented by Veillonella to propionic and acetic acids. The fermentation pattern was time-dependent.