Abstract
The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of ripening container’s material on the bacterial diversity of Feta cheese PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). The microbiota of fresh and mature cheese produced in plastic and stainless steel container was monitored by microbial enumeration and 16s rRNA gene sequencing. According to the obtained results, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was the dominant microbiota of fresh and mature cheese. Metagenomics data revealed that fresh cheese was dominated by Lactococcus followed by members of Enterobacteriaceae family and Pseudomonas. Similarly, Lactococcus was the most abundant genus detected in mature cheese (54 days and 120 days), regardless of the container’s material. In both fresh and mature cheese, species of Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, Acinetobacter, Lactobacillus, Flavobacterium, and Carnobacterium were detected. The abundance of Enterobacteriaceae, Moraxellaceae and Pseudomonadaceae in mature cheese ripened in stainless steel container seems to be numerically reduced after 120 days of storage compared to the cheese ripened in plastic container but not significant differences were observed (p > 0.05). In conclusion, metagenomic analysis suggests that ripening container’s material does not affect the microbial community responsible for the ripening of feta cheese PDO.
Highlights
The production of foods marked with a European Union geographical indicator is designated according to specific and strict guidelines, which have been established and published to Database of Origin & Registration (DOOR) database
Microbiota of feta cheese PDO ripened in plastic and stainless steel container was monitored by microbial enumeration and generation sequencing
Initial total viable counts found to be above 9 log CFU/g and slightly decreased during ripening, where lactic acid bacteria was the main microbial group detected on cheese samples
Summary
The production of foods marked with a European Union geographical indicator is designated according to specific and strict guidelines, which have been established and published to Database of Origin & Registration (DOOR) database. Geographical indicators of foods protect the producers and the consumers to recognize high quality food products with specific characteristics. These guidelines are specific for each food product and related to its traditional production originating in a specific place, region, or country. Feta cheese PDO is a brined cheese which is produced by ewe milk or a blend of ewe milk and goat milk (up to 30%) in the geographic areas of Macedonia, Thraki, Ipiros, Thessalia, Sterea Ellada, Peloponnissos, and Lesvos Island [1]. Moatsou and Govaris [2] presented schematically
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