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Cheese and Its Microbes Under the Light of One Health-A Comprehensive Review
Maria de Lurdes Enes Dapkevicius1,2, Telma de Sousa3,4,5,6, Maria da Graça Silveira2,7
1Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Research and Technology (IITAA), University of the Azores, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 12, 2026
Summary
Cheese microbes impact the dairy chain, potentially spreading beneficial bacteria or harmful pathogens and antibiotic resistance. Enterococci can monitor antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in cheese production.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Food Science
- One Health
Background:
- Cheese and cheesemaking environments host a complex and dynamic microbiota.
- Microorganisms can transfer across the dairy chain, influencing animal, human, and environmental health within the One Health framework.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a current overview of cheese microbiota, their functions, and roles in virulence and antibiotic resistance.
- To assess the relevance of these microbes within the One Health approach.
- To propose enterococci as sentinel microorganisms for monitoring antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in cheese production chains.
Main Methods:
- This study is a comprehensive, narrative review.
- It synthesizes current knowledge on cheese-associated microorganisms and their implications.
Main Results:
- Microbial interactions in cheese can disseminate beneficial bacteria, enhancing cheese quality, sustainability, and consumer health.
- Conversely, these interactions can promote the spread of pathogenic strains, virulence factors, and antibiotic resistance genes.
- Enterococci are identified as potential sentinels for tracking AMR in dairy production.
Conclusions:
- The cheese microbiota plays a dual role, offering benefits while posing risks related to pathogen and AMR dissemination.
- Monitoring AMR in cheese production is crucial for public health and food safety.
- Utilizing enterococci as sentinel organisms offers a promising strategy for AMR surveillance in dairy value chains.
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