Bacterial dynamics in a raw cow’s milk Caciotta cheese manufactured with aqueous extract of Cynara cardunculus dried flowers

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the bacterial dynamics of a Caciotta cheese traditionally manufactured in the Montefeltro area (Central Italy) with raw cow’s milk and an aqueous extract of dried flowers from Cynara cardunculus as a coagulating agent. Methods and Results: Conventional methods and a combined PCR‐DGGE approach, relying on culture‐dependent and ‐independent analyses, were used to investigate the cheese bacterial community, with a special focus on lactic acid bacteria. A heterogeneous population, including enterococci, lactococci, lactobacilli, food spoilage and other banal micro‐organisms, was found. Significance and Impact of the Study: The study contributed to highlighting the influence of different technological parameters on bacterial dynamics of a raw milk Caciotta cheese coagulated with vegetable rennet. Conclusions: None of the species found in the vegetable rennet became dominant during the cheese‐making and a prevailing role of the adventitions microbita coming from the raw milk and the dairy environment was highlighted.

A comparison for acid production, proteolysis, autolysis and inhibitory properties of lactic acid bacteria from fresh and mature Feta PDO Greek cheese, made at three different mountainous areas

“…A decrease in mean activity was recorded for strains from area 2, due possibly to further degradations. Variability of technological properties of isolates from natural sources is a common finding (Aquilanti et al, 2011;Papanikolaou et al, 2012;Pavlidou et al, 2011;Piraino et al, 2008;Psoni et al, 2006;Psoni et al, 2007).…”

Bacterial Communities in Serpa Cheese by Culture Dependent Techniques, 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing and High‐throughput Sequencing Analysis

“…isolates were found in all industries and were identified as L. mesenteroides (Table 3). This species is usually found as a subdominant LAB species with raw milk cheese (Aquilanti et al, 2011;Fuka et al, 2013;Picon et al, 2016) and, alongside Leucnostoc lactis, is the most relevant species of this genus in the dairy industry (Hemme & Foucaud-Scheunemann, 2004). Although these species grow poorly in milk, they are more competitive in the late stage of the cheese ripening process.…”

“…It is produced within the Alentejo province (south of Portugal) from raw ewes' milk using aqueous infusion of the dried flowers from Cynara cardunculus L. plant as coagulant and without the addition of a starter culture. The absence of thermal process and starter microorganisms means that its quality and characteristics depend mainly on the endogenous microbiota, which arises primarily from the raw milk, vegetable coagulant and the cheese dairy environment (Aquilanti et al, 2011;Bokulich & Mills, 2013;Ordiales et al, 2013b;Pereira, Graça, Ogando, Gomes, & Malcata, 2010a). JFDS-2017-2074Submitted 12/22/2017, Accepted 3/6/2018 Gonçalves is with the Inst.…”

Milk-clotting properties of plant rennets and their enzymatic, rheological, and sensory role in cheese making: A review

“…[57] In fact, aqueous extracts from flowers have been widely used as substitutes of animal rennet (AR) in some artisanal Italian Spanish and Portuguese cheeses. [58] Milk-clotting and proteolytic activities, as well as kinetic parameters of C. cardunculus enzymes, reported in literature, are summarised in Table 3.…”