are intrinsically resistant to vancomycin and are catalase-negative (which distinguishes them from staphylococci).

All species within this genus are heterofermentative and are able to produce dextran from sucrose.

[5] Because they are an uncommon cause of disease in humans, standard commercial identification kits are often unable to identify the organism.

[6] Leuconostoc spp., along with other lactic acid bacteria such as Pediococcus and Lactobacillus, are responsible for the fermentation of cabbage, making it sauerkraut.

The genus Leuconostoc comprises the following species:[3] The name Leuconostoc citrovorum (Hammer) Hucker and Pederson 1931 was rejected in 1971 as a nomen dubium by the Judicial Commission of International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (in Opinion 45).