flat sours

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flat sours Bacteria such as Bacillus stearothermophilus render canned food sour by fermenting carbohydrates to lactic, formic, and acetic acids, without gas production. This means that the ends of the can are not swelled out but remain flat. Economically they are the most important of the thermophilic spoilage agents; some species can grow slowly at 25 °C and thus spoil products after long storage periods.