Short communication: Identification and technological characterization of yeast strains isolated from samples of water buffalo Mozzarella cheese.
Sixty yeast cultures were isolated from samples of water buffalo Mozzarella, a popular "pasta filata" cheese, originating on 16 farms located in the provinces of Salerno, Caserta, and Frosinone (Italy). Strains were identified by means of 5.8S internal transcribed spacer rDNA PCR-RFLP combined with 26S rRNA gene partial sequencing and characterized for their ability to exert biochemical properties of technological interest. The recorded dominance of fermenting yeasts such as the lactose-fermenting Kluyveromyces marxianus (38.3% of the total isolates) and the galactose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae (21.6% of the total isolates) suggests that these yeasts contribute to the organoleptic definition of the water buffalo Mozzarella. The speciographic analysis revealed the presence of 7 other species rarely or never reported in a dairy environment belonging to the genera Pichia and Candida, whose role in Mozzarella cheese organoleptic properties need to be further investigated.
Aponte
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Dipartimento Scienza degli Alimenti, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy.
Pepe
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Blaiotta
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D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes; D002175:Candida / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002611:Cheese / Q000382:microbiology*; D005285:Fermentation / Q000235:genetics; D007716:Kluyveromyces / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010843:Pichia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015003:Yeasts / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*