Biogenic amine-forming microbial communities in cheese

Abstract

The aim of this study was to screen two cheese starter cultures and cheese-borne microbial communities with the potential to produce biogenic amines in cheese during ripening. Bacteria of the genera Enterococcus and Lactobacillus and coliform bacteria were isolated from Dutch-type semi-hard cheese at the beginning of the ripening period. Statistically significant counts of bacterial isolates were screened for the presence of specific DNA sequences coding for tyrosine decarboxylase (tyrDC) and histidine decarboxylase (hDC) enzymes. The PCR analysis of DNA from 14 Enterococcus and 3 Lactobacillus isolates confirmed the presence of the targetted DNA sequences. Simultaneously, 13 tyrDC- and 3 hDC-positive isolates were grown in decarboxylase screening medium and this was followed by HPLC analysis of the produced tyramine and histamine. Conventional and molecular taxonomic analyses of the above-mentioned isolates identified the following species: Enterococcus durans (7 strains), Enterococcus faecalis (3 strains), Enterococcus faecium (1 strain), Enterococcus casseliflavus (3 strains), Lactobacillus curvatus (1 strain), Lactobacillus lactis (1 strain) and Lactobacillus helveticus (1 strain). All of the above Enterococcus and two of the Lactobacillus strains originated from contaminating microbial communities. The L. helveticus strain, which was tyrosine decarboxylase-positive and exhibited tyramine production, originated from starter culture 1 used for cheese production. Comparison of partial tyrDC sequences of positive Enterococcus isolates revealed 89% sequence similarity, and that of hDC-positive Lactobacillus isolates revealed 99% sequence similarity.

Production of biogenic amines by Enterococci

“…They also tested another pair of primers for tdc gene (TDC-F and TDC-R) and obtained results were the same. Simultaneous detection of genes that encode different amino acid decarboxylases was previously described by many authors (Coton & Coton 2005;Burdychova & Komprda 2007;Komprda et al 2008;Landete et al 2007) and was usually designed as multiplex PCR with different kind of primers. TLC methods constitute a simple solution to the reports describing false-positive or negative reactions in routine screening procedures generally involving the use of a differential medium containing a pH indicator.…”

A survey of the main technology, biochemical and microbiological features influencing the concentration of biogenic amines of twenty Apulian and Sicilian (Southern Italy) cheeses

“…This should not be regarded as surprising, taking into account that some lactic acid bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus helveticus, Streptococcus thermophilus) used as dairy starters showed the capacity to decarboxylate amino acids precursors of BAs (Burdychova & Komprda, 2007;Marino et al, 2008;RoigSagues, Molina, & Hernandez-Herrero, 2002). Previous studies provided contradictory results about the role of starters in the production of BAs in cheeses (Marino et al, 2008;Martuscelli et al, 2005).…”

Influence of ripening time on the amount of certain biogenic amines in rind and core of cow milk Livno cheese

“…It is well known that the bacteria from the genus Enterococcus and Lactobacillus are mostly responsible for the production of biogenic amines in cheeses made from raw milk (Burdychova and Komprda, 2007;L adero et al, 2012).…”