Lactic acid microbiota identification in water, raw milk, endogenous starter culture, and fresh Minas artisanal cheese from the Campo das Vertentes region of Brazil during the dry and rainy seasons.
Minas artisanal cheese, produced in the Campo das Vertentes region of Brazil, is made from raw milk and endogenous starter cultures. Although this cheese is of great historical and socioeconomic importance, little information is available about its microbiological and physical-chemical qualities, or about its beneficial microbiota. This work was aimed at evaluating the qualities of the cheese and the components used for its production, comparing samples collected during the dry and rainy seasons. We also conducted molecular identification and isolated 50 samples of lactic acid bacteria from cheese (n=21), water (n=3), raw milk (n=9), and endogenous starter culture (n=17). The microbiological quality of the cheese, water, raw milk, and endogenous starter culture was lower during the rainy period, given the higher counts of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus and total and thermotolerant coliforms. Enterococcus faecalis was the lactic acid bacteria isolated most frequently (42.86%) in cheese samples, followed by Lactococcus lactis (28.57%) and Lactobacillus plantarum (14.29%). Lactobacillus brevis (5.88%), Enterococcus pseudoavium (5.88%), Enterococcus durans (5.88%), and Aerococcus viridans (5.88%) were isolated from endogenous starter cultures and are described for the first time in the literature. The lactic acid bacteria identified in the analyzed cheeses may inhibit undesirable microbiota and contribute to the safety and flavor of the cheese, but this needs to be evaluated in future research.
Departamento de Tecnologia e Inspeção de Produtos de Origem Animal, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil. Electronic address: renatadiascastro@yahoo.com.br.
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Castro
Departamento de Tecnologia e Inspeção de Produtos de Origem Animal, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
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Oliveira
Departamento de Tecnologia e Inspeção de Produtos de Origem Animal, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
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FM
Sant'Anna
Departamento de Tecnologia e Inspeção de Produtos de Origem Animal, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
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LMP
Luiz
Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
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SHC
Sandes
Departamento de Tecnologia e Inspeção de Produtos de Origem Animal, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
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CIF
Silva
Departamento de Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Sete Lagoas, 35701-970, Brazil.
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AM
Silva
Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
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Nunes
Departamento de Tecnologia e Inspeção de Produtos de Origem Animal, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
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CFAM
Penna
Departamento de Tecnologia e Inspeção de Produtos de Origem Animal, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
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Souza
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002611:Cheese / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005516:Food Microbiology; D019344:Lactic Acid; D007777:Lactobacillaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D056546:Lactobacillales / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013294:Lactococcus lactis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D064307:Microbiota; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D011891:Rain; D012621:Seasons; D014867:Water; D014871:Water Microbiology
D014867:Water; D019344:Lactic Acid
16S rRNA sequencing; artisanal cheese; cheese composition; microbiology