Microbiome analysis of sugarcane juices and biofilms from Louisiana raw sugar factories

During post-harvest processing of sugarcane for raw sugar, microbial activity results in sucrose loss and undesirable exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. Historically, culturing-based approaches have focused on Leuconostoc mesenteroides as the main contributor to both processes. In the present study, high-throughput amplicon-based sequence profiling, a powerful tool for comprehensively unraveling the microbial composition of environmental samples, was applied to samples from sugarcane post-harvest processing streams collected at three Louisiana raw sugarcane factories, including crusher juices, mixed juices, and biofilms.