Genetic diversity and distinction of and in traditional Montenegrin brine cheeses and salamis.

Introduction: is a widespread acid-lactic bacterium found in the environment, humans, and animal microbiota, and it also plays a role in the production of traditional food. However, the worldwide emergence of multidrug-resistant strains represents a major public health threat and is the primary reason that the genus is not recommended for the Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) list of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), raising concerns about its presence in food products.

Methods: In this study, 39 and 5 isolates were obtained from artisanal brine cheeses and dry sausages, sourced from 21 different Montenegrin producers. The isolates were collected following the ISO 15214:1998 international method and processed for whole-genome sequencing (WGS).

Results: Genome analysis based on core genome multilocus sequence type (cgMLST) revealed a high diversity among isolates. Furthermore, the isolates carried antimicrobial resistance genes; the virulence genes , , and ; the bacteriocin genes , , and ; the secondary metabolite genes , cyclic lactone autoinducer, RiPP-like, and and a maximum of eight plasmids.

Conclusion: This study highlights the need for careful monitoring of and strains in food to ensure they do not pose any potential risks to consumer safety.