The Lactic Acid Bacteria is planned as a series in a number of volumes, and the interest shown in it appears to justify a cautious optimism that a series comprising at least five volumes will appear in the fullness of time. This being so, I feel that it is desirable to introduce the series by providing a little of the history of the events which culminated in the decision to produce such a series. I also wish to indicate the boundaries of the group 'The Lactic Acid Bacteria' as I have defined them for the present purposes, and to outline my hopes for future topics in the series. Historical...

This volume, the first in a series on the lactic acid bacteria, offers a series of reviews by carefully selected experts drawn from several countries. Although there have been a number of excellent conferences on the lactic acid bacteria in recent years there is no publication which brings together the topics explored so thoroughly in the present text. Several topics will have particular interest to the agriculture industry, including spoilage in sugar productions, lactic acid bacteria in plant silage and conversation/upgrading of other materials for use in animal feeding, coffee, and cocoa...