Genotypic and phenotypic diversity of Pediococcus pentosaceus strains isolated from food matrices and characterisation of the penocin operon.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely used in the food industry. Pediococcus spp. belong to the LAB group and include several species that are essential for the quality of fermented food.

Identification of the Enterobacteriaceae in Montasio cheese and assessment of their amino acid decarboxylase activity.

The aim of the study was to identify the species of Enterobacteriaceae present in Montasio cheese and to assess their potential to produce biogenic amines. Plate count methods and an Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus Polymerase Chain Reaction (ERIC-PCR) approach, combined with 16S rDNA sequencing, were used to investigate the Enterobacteriaceae community present during the cheesemaking and ripening of 6 batches of Montasio cheese. Additionally, the potential decarboxylation abilities of selected bacterial isolates were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed against tyrosine, histidine, ornithine and lysine.

Comparison of culture-dependent and -independent methods for bacterial community monitoring during Montasio cheese manufacturing.

The microbial community in milk is of great importance in the manufacture of traditional cheeses produced using raw milk and natural cultures. During milk curdling and cheese ripening, complex interactions occur in the microbial community, and accurate identification of the microorganisms involved provides essential information for understanding their role in these processes and in flavor production. Recent improvements in molecular biological methods have led to their application to food matrices, and thereby opened new perspectives for the study of microbial communities in fermented foods.