Volatilome of brine-related microorganisms in a curd-based medium

The possible contribution of brine-derived microflora to the sensory attributes of cheese is still a rather unexplored field. In this study, 365 bacteria and 105 yeast strains isolated from 11 cheese brines were qualitatively tested for proteolytic and lipolytic activities, and positive strains were identified by sequencing. Among bacteria, Staphylococcus equorum was the most frequent, followed by Macrococcus caseolyticus and Corynebacterium flavescens. As for yeasts, Debaryomyces hansenii, Clavispora lusitaniae, and Torulaspora delbrueckii were most frequently identified. A total of 38% of bacteria and 59% of yeasts showed at least 1 of the metabolic activities tested, with lipolytic activity being the most widespread (81% of bacteria and 95% of yeasts). Subsequently 15 strains of bacteria and 10 yeasts were inoculated in a curd-based medium and assessed via headspace-solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine their volatilome. After a 30-d incubation at 12°C, most strains showed a viability increase of about 2 log cfu/mL, suggesting good adaptability to the cheese environment. A total of 26 compounds were detected in the headspace, carbonyl compounds and alcohols being the major contributors to the volatile profile of the curd-based medium. Multivariate analysis was carried out to elucidate the overall differences in volatiles produced by selected strains. Principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis demonstrated that the brine-related microorganisms were separated into 3 different groups, suggesting their different abilities to produce volatile compounds. Some of the selected strains have been shown to have interesting aromatic potential and to possibly contribute to the sensory properties of cheese.