Abstract
This work was performed to study the microbiota of raw goat's milk (67 samples) collected in different areas of Sardinia, in order to select autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains for use in goat cheese manufacturing. Total mesophilic bacteria ranged between 105 and 107 cfu/mL; mean counts of Enterobacteriaceae did not exceed 4 log cfu/mL whereas those of E. coli and coagulase-positive staphylococci were lower than 1.5 and 2 log ufc /ml, respectively. Neither Salmonella spp. nor Listeria monocytogenes were recovered. The numbers of total LAB were in the range from 104 to 107 cfu/mL and mean yeasts counts varied between 103 and 105 cfu/mL. The most frequently isolated LAB species were Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Lactobacillus paracasei. The presence of Enterococcus faecium was also noteworthy. The in vitro study of some functional characteristics related to technological properties of the strains belonging to these species allowed to point out some strains possessing good potential for use as adjunct or starter cultures in the production of cheese.
Highlights
Goat milk production is a crucial contributor to rural economy in many countries, especially in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions
About 50% of milk samples showed total viable counts above the maximum value established by Italian legislation for raw milk intended for further processing (5×105 cfu/mL; Regulation EC 853/2004), it is important to note that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) accounted for the majority of the microflora, in agreement with the results of the above-mentioned works
The presence of Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, and coagulase-positive staphylococci in milk is an indicator of unsanitary production and/or improper milking procedures
Summary
Goat milk production is a crucial contributor to rural economy in many countries, especially in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions. In Italy, the population of dairy goats is reared mainly in extensive or semi-intensive systems. Due to the growing consumer interest in functional foods, goat's milk has gained popularity mainly because its high digestibility, high nutritional quality, low allergenicity, and potential nutraceutical properties [2, 3]; the production of goat cheeses has shown a growing trend in recent years. Goat milk is very present in Italian supermarkets, both in pasteurized and in UHT versions, but most of it is mainly processed into dairy products for national markets. In Sardinia, goat milk is almost exclusively used for cheeses’ production, even if these products are not as famous as Sardinian ewe's cheeses. The diversification of goat milk production is essential but it is dependent on the development of new and valuable products
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