ABSTRACT. Four psychrotrophic, gram negative meat isolates were grown at 6 and 22°C with and without aeration, in AOAC synthetic broth with 0.1% glucose and in a basal medium containing 0.1% glucose and 0.5% glycine (BMGG‐1). In AOAC broth, three strains produced more hexosamine at 6°C, while the fourth produced more at 22°C. Three of the four strains also produced more slime at 6°C. All four strains grew faster with aeration at both temperatures, but produced less hexosamine. Under all conditions, the growth rate of each strain was inversely proportional to its hexosamine production. During the growth cycle in BMGG‐1, medium pH dropped until the log phase was under way and then rose again through the stationary phase. This rise coincided with the depletion of glucose. Hexosamine production first became detectable at the end of the log phase, rose during the stationary phase, and then leveled off. Adjusting pH to prevent the initial drop increased both growth and hexosamine production. Raising the concentration of glucose to 0.5% accelerated growth but decreased hexosamine production. Approximately 95.1% of the hexosamine produced was cell‐associated. It consisted primarily of glucosamine polymers with a lesser amount of galactosamine. Only 3.0% of the nitrogen from the BMGG‐1 was utilized by the cells. Of this 3.0%, 58% was used for ammonia, 27.2% for hexosamine, and 14.8% for other substances. Of the 40.7% used for total cell production, 63.8% went into hexosamine.