Many bacteria use fructose as the growth substrate but there is a small group of bacteria called **fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB)** , for which fructose is the optimal growth substrate.
FLAB includes several species of the genus **_Fructobacillus_** ( _F. tropaeoli_ , _F. pseudoficulneus_ , _F. ficulneus_ , _F. fructosus_ , _Frucobacillus durionis_ ) and **_Lactobacillus_** ( _Lactobacillus apinorum_ , _Lactobacillus kunkeei_ , _Lactobacillus florum_ ), isolated from fructose-rich environments, including flowers, fruits, fermented fruits, and the guts of insects that feed on plants rich in fructose.
FLAB can be further differentiated into **obligately** and **facultatively** fructophilic, based on their preference for fructose over glucose as the growth substrate.
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Endo et al. (2018) Fructophilic lactic acid bacteria, a unique group of fructose-fermenting microbes. Appl Environ Microbiol. 84: e01290-18.