Identification of cheese-smear coryneform bacteria

Abstract

SUMMARYThree groups of coryneform bacteria isolated from the rind of nine soft and semi-hard cheese varieties, i.e. the orange, white and yellow strains, were studied with regard to morphological and physiological features. The 115 orange isolates of the Brevibacterium linens type formed only one homogeneous phenon. The 96 white and 161 yellow pigmented strains were grouped into 15 phena. Five phena (58% of the strains) belong to the species ‘B. ammoniagenes’, Arthrobacter variabilis and A. nicotianae. The other strains were arranged into five Arthrobacter spp. and four Corynebacterium spp. groups as well as a Rhodococcus sp. group. Usually specific forms for the individual cheese varieties were involved. In cheeses of poor surface-smear quality B. linens was found in reduced numbers.