Evaluation of genetic polymorphism among Lactobacillus rhamnosus non-starter Parmigiano Reggiano cheese strains.
Parmigiano Reggiano (PR) is an Italian cooked, long-ripened cheese made with unheated cow's milk and natural whey starter. The microflora is involved in the manufacturing of this cheese, arising from the natural whey starter, the raw milk and the environment. Molecular studies have shown that mesophilic non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) are the dominant microflora present during the ripening of PR. In this study, a characterisation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus isolated from a single PR manufacturing and ripening process is reported, using a combination of genotypic fingerprinting techniques (RAPD-PCR and REP-PCR). The intraspecies heterogeneity evidenced for 66 strains is correlated to their abilities to adapt to specific environmental and technological conditions. The detection of biotypes that correlate with specific moments in cheese ripening or differential development throughout this process suggests that these strains may have specific roles closely linked to their peculiar technological properties.
Dipartimento di Genetica, Biologia dei microrganismi, Antropologia, Evoluzione, Università degli Studi di Parma, Viale Usberti 11/A, 43100 Parma, Italy.
Claudio Giorgio
CG
Bove
Juliano
J
De Dea Lindner
Camilla
C
Lazzi
Monica
M
Gatti
Erasmo
E
Neviani
D002611:Cheese / Q000382:microbiology*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005838:Genotype; D052201:Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013997:Time Factors