TORULA. 401 



has also isolated a Torula from butter which fermented maltose 

 in addition to lactose. P. Maze found ten different Torulas 

 in soft cheese, one of which fermented lactose only ; the 

 others, in addition, fermented dextrose, laevulose, maltose, 

 and saccharose. The fermentations are more rapidly carried 

 to an end, and a higher yield of alcohol is obtained if they 

 are carried out in an alkaline liquor. Martin bouillon makes 

 a good substratum with 0-088 per cent, of sodium carbonate. 

 Maze believes it to be probable that these species produce 

 aromatic bodies in soft cheese. In American cheese and 

 milk a Torula occurred at one time, producing a bitter taste. 

 Harrison proved that the infection was derived from milk 

 cans, which, in their turn, had been infected by exposure 

 under maple trees to dry air. The yeast-fungus, named by 

 Harrison Torula amara, gives a strong and unpleasantly 

 bitter taste to milk in fourteen hours at 37 C. : fermentation 

 is brought about, and an odour developed resembling that of 

 plum kernels ; the flavour becomes more astringent. At a 

 later stage the milk curdles somewhat, and possesses a slightly 

 acid and ethereal aroma. Lactose, glucose, and saccharose 

 are easily fermented. In milk the last trace of sugar is fer- 

 mented. The organism grows in broth containing 2 to 4 per 

 cent, of lactic acid. 



A complete and comprehensive description of these lactose- 

 fermenting Torulas (together with the lactose-fermenting 

 Saccharomycetes) is given by Heinze and Cohn. They under- 

 took a special and very detailed morphological and physiological 

 investigation into Adametz' Sacch. lactis and Beijerinck's 

 Tyrocola. 



Kalanthar detected three lactose-fermenting species in 

 Mazun viz., the greenish Mazun yeast with giant colonies, 

 which are first greenish-grey and then plum-red, and two 

 others, which, however, are declared by P. Lindner to be 

 identical with the first. They ferment lactose, saccharose, 

 trehalose, dextrose (feebly), but neither maltose nor a-methyl- 

 glucoside ; they also produce acid. 



Torula species have also been detected in many defective 

 butters and cheeses, which appear to be of more or less 

 importance, thus Rogers found a Torula in a fishy and rancid 



26 



