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Grana Padano cheese whey starters: microbial composition and strain distribution
Lia Rossetti1, Maria Emanuela Fornasari, Monica Gatti
1Agriculture Research Council, Research Centre for Forage and Dairy Productions (CRA-FLC), Viale Piacenza 29, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
International Journal of Food Microbiology
|July 16, 2008
Summary
This study analyzed lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in Grana Padano cheese whey starters, finding Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis, and Streptococcus thermophilus as dominant species. Strain diversity was low and specific to individual dairy plants.
Area of Science:
- Food Microbiology
- Dairy Science
- Bacteriology
Background:
- Whey starter cultures are crucial for Grana Padano cheese production.
- Understanding the microbial ecosystem of these starters is essential for consistent cheese quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the species composition and genotypic strain heterogeneity of dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in Grana Padano cheese whey starters.
- To investigate the distribution and diversity of LAB strains across different production areas and dairy plants.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of LAB using agar plate counting.
- Profiling of dominant LAB populations using reverse transcriptase, length heterogeneity-PCR (RT-LH-PCR).
- Strain identification and diversity analysis using M13-PCR fingerprinting and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Main Results:
- The dominant LAB species identified were Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis, and Streptococcus thermophilus.
- Whey cultures were classified into four typologies based on species composition, with the most frequent containing L. helveticus, L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis, and S. thermophilus.
- A low infra-species diversity was observed, with identical biotypes frequently found across multiple cultures, indicating a dairy plant-specific distribution rather than a regional one.
Conclusions:
- The study identified the key LAB species and characterized their genotypic diversity in Grana Padano cheese whey starters.
- The findings suggest that microbial strain selection and management within individual dairy plants play a significant role in shaping the whey starter ecosystem.
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