The description is based on Iversen et al., Stephan et al., Joseph et al. [27], [30], [49], [50] and this study. Cells are straight rods, 0.9–1.0 μm × 1.5–3.0 μm, generally motile by peritrichous flagella. Gram negative. Facultatively anaerobic. Optimum temperature for growth is 37 °C. Colonies are yellow-pigmented, round, convex and smooth with entire margins when grown on TSA at 37 °C for 24 h. Negative for lysine decarboxylase and H2S production, and variable for Voges-Proskauer, arginine dihydrolase, ornithine decarboxylase. Generally negative for indole production. Nitrate is reduced to nitrite. Acid is produced from glucose, l-arabinose, d-mannitol, galacturonate, maltose and trehalose. N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, l-arabinose, d-cellobiose, d-galactose, d-fructose, gentiobiose, d-glucose, lactose, maltose, d-mannitol, d-mannose, d-melibiose, l-rhamnose, d-trehalose, d-gluconic acid and glycerol are oxidized (Biolog), whereas p-hydroxy-phenylacetic acid, itaconic acid, propionic acid, l-alaninamide, 2-aminoethanol and 2,3-butanediol are not. Reactions to tweens 40 and 80, N-acetyl-d-galactosamine, d-arabitol, m-inositol, d-raffinose, d-sorbitol, sucrose, turanose, succinic acid mono-methyl ester, cis-aconitic acid, d-saccharic acid, L-proline, d-serine, l-threonine, d-glucose-1-phosphate and d-glucose-6-phosphate are variable. Major fatty acids are C16:0, C18:1ω7c and summed features 2 (iso-C16:1 and/or C14:0 3-OH) and generally 3 (C16:1 ω7c and/or iso-C15:0 2-OH), with C18:1ω7c representing more than 17% of the total amount. Members of the genus Cronobacter form a clade using MLSA based on concatenated partial gyrB, rpoB, infB and atpD sequences.

Cronobacter species have been isolated from humans, clinical samples, milk and fruit powder and infant formula and the environment. Several species cause infections in neonates.

The type species is Cronobacter sakazakii (Farmer et al. 1980) Iversen et al. 2008.