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A bacteriophage specific for the leuconostoc strain Pro2 (L. mesenteroides, group V of Garvie) was isolated from whey and buttermilk samples from two factories which use the strain Pro2 in their starters. Morphologically, it belongs to the group B bacteriophages according to Bradley. It is the first bacteriophage of leuconostoc isolated from dairy products. The reasons for the widespread ignorance of phages of leuconostocs are discussed.

SUMMARY. Thirty-one strains of mesophilic and thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and their respective phages were tested for their minimum, optimum and maximum multiplication temperatures. Culture growth was strongly influenced by temperature during the first few hours of incubation, but less so after 24 h. Most of the phages showed the same pattern of development as their hosts, but one phage lysing a thermophilic lactobacillus and 3 phages lysing mesophilic streptococci proved temperature-sensitive, having a lower maximum temperature than that of their hosts. One phage was unusual in that its minimum development temperature was 7 °C above that of its host. Differences in temperature sensitivity were insufficient to reduce risk of phage infection by temperature control in industrial processes.