Lactic microbiota of the minas artisanal cheese produced in the serro region, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The lactic microbiota of the Minas artisanal cheese (MAC) produced in the Serro region was characterized by culture-dependent and -independent methods. Samples of Serro MAC (n = 55) were obtained and plated for lactic acid bacteria (LAB) enumeration. Isolates (n = 176) were subsequently identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as lactobacilli, Lactococcus lactis and Enterococcus sp. LAB counts and the distribution of identified species did not differ by producer city, producer farm size, starter culture and time of production (P > 0.05). DNA from samples was subjected to high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing and L. lactis was the predominant species in all samples. Alpha-diversity indices (species number, diversity, richness) and beta-diversity analysis did not differ between samples (P > 0.05). Core microbiota for all cheese samples included L. lactis, Streptococcus salivarius, S. thermophilus and Acinetobacter johnsonii. Here, we were able to show that lactobacilli and L. lactis are the dominant lactic groups and species in the Serro MAC, supporting the establishment of a typical microbial signature for this cheese.