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The Microbiology of Cheese
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The Microbiology of Cheese

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Dairy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (18 November 2022) | Viewed by 14983

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Erica Tirloni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Interests: food microbiology; food safety; food inspection; meat science; dairy science; risk analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Simone Stella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Interests: food microbiology; food safety; dairy science; cheese; risk analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cheese is a very interesting complex substrate from a microbiological point of view. This ecosystem consists of bacteria and, in the case of smear- and mold-ripened cheese, yeasts and molds. Cheese making but also subsequent stages (ripening, storage) influence the growth of these microorganisms. Microorganisms may be intentionally added with a technological scope or enter in contact with cheese due to a secondary contamination. Spoilage organisms can grow on dairy substrates (mainly fresh cheeses) and cause discoloration and other sensorial defects. On the other hand, pathogenic microorganisms are of particular concern for dairy foods as they are mainly ready to eat products. The strategies to be applied to contrast dairy food contamination and microbial proliferation should be addressed to various finalities. An integrated approach should consider the application of different (physical, chemical, biological) techniques to decrease the level of environmental contamination and to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms during the shelf-life of the products.

Dr. Erica Tirloni
Prof. Dr. Simone Stella
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cheese
  • dairy food
  • lactic acid bacteria
  • cheese microbiota
  • pathogenic bacteria
  • biopreservation

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 2355 KiB  
Article
Impact of LAB from Serpa PDO Cheese in Cheese Models: Towards the Development of an Autochthonous Starter Culture
by Helena Araújo-Rodrigues, António P. L. Martins, Freni K. Tavaria, João Dias, Maria Teresa Santos, Nuno Alvarenga and Manuela E. Pintado
Foods 2023, 12(4), 701; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040701 - 06 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1666
Abstract
Serpa is a protected designation of origin (PDO) cheese produced with raw ewes’ milk and coagulated with Cynara cardunculus. Legislation does not allow for milk pasteurization and starter culture inoculation. Although natural Serpa’s rich microbiota allows for the development of a unique [...] Read more.
Serpa is a protected designation of origin (PDO) cheese produced with raw ewes’ milk and coagulated with Cynara cardunculus. Legislation does not allow for milk pasteurization and starter culture inoculation. Although natural Serpa’s rich microbiota allows for the development of a unique organoleptic profile, it also suggests high heterogeneity. This raises issues in the final sensory and safety properties, leading to several losses in the sector. A possible solution to overcoming these issues is the development of an autochthonous starter culture. In the present work, some Serpa cheese Lactic acid bacteria (LAB)-isolated microorganisms, previously selected based on their safety, technological and protective performance, were tested in laboratory-scale cheeses. Their acidification, proteolysis (protein and peptide profile, nitrogen fractions, free amino acids (FAA)), and volatiles generation (volatile fatty acids (VFA) and esters) potential was investigated. Significant differences were found in all parameters analyzed, showing a considerable strain effect. Successive statistical analyses were performed to compare cheese models and Serpa PDO cheese. The strains L. plantarum PL1 and PL2 and the PL1 and L. paracasei PC mix were selected as the most promising, resulting in a closer lipolytic and proteolytic profile of Serpa PDO cheese. In future work, these inocula will be produced at a pilot scale and tested at the cheese level to validate their application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Microbiology of Cheese)
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10 pages, 1014 KiB  
Article
Pseudomonas fluorescens and Escherichia coli in Fresh Mozzarella Cheese: Effect of Cellobiose Oxidase on Microbiological Stability during Refrigerated Shelf Life
by Martina Marrella, Gaia Bertani, Annalisa Ricci, Rossana Volpe, Sebastien Roustel, Federico Ferriani, Elia Nipoti, Erasmo Neviani, Camilla Lazzi and Valentina Bernini
Foods 2023, 12(1), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010145 - 27 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1753
Abstract
Background: Mozzarella cheese possesses a high moisture content (50–60%) and a relatively high pH (around 5.5) and is therefore considered a perishable food product characterized by high quality deterioration and the potential risk of microbial contamination. Moreover, it can be spoiled by Pseudomonas [...] Read more.
Background: Mozzarella cheese possesses a high moisture content (50–60%) and a relatively high pH (around 5.5) and is therefore considered a perishable food product characterized by high quality deterioration and the potential risk of microbial contamination. Moreover, it can be spoiled by Pseudomonas spp. and coliform bacteria, which may be involved in different negative phenomena, such as proteolysis, discolorations, pigmentation, and off-flavors. To prevent these, different methods were investigated. In this context, the present study aims to assess the antimicrobial effect of cellobiose oxidase on Pseudomonas fluorescens (5026) and Escherichia coli (k88, k99) in mozzarella cheese during refrigerated shelf life. Methods: microbiological challenge tests were designed by contaminating the mozzarella covering liquid containing different cellobiose oxidase concentrations with P. fluorescens (5026) and E. coli (k88, k99). The behavior of these microorganisms and the variation of hydrogen peroxide concentrations were then tested under refrigerated conditions for 20 days to simulate the mozzarella cheese shelf life. Results and Conclusions: The data obtained demonstrated the effect of cellobiose oxidase on microbial growth. In particular, E. coli (k88, k99) was inhibited over the entire shelf life, while P. fluorescens (5026) was only partially affected after a few days of refrigerated storage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Microbiology of Cheese)
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16 pages, 1994 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Effect of Ozone on Listeria monocytogenes and Resident Microbiota of Gorgonzola Cheese Surface: A Culturomic Approach
by Felice Panebianco, Selene Rubiola, Chiara Buttieri, Pierluigi Aldo Di Ciccio, Francesco Chiesa and Tiziana Civera
Foods 2022, 11(17), 2640; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11172640 - 31 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1614
Abstract
The occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes on Gorgonzola cheese surface was reported by many authors, with risks arising from the translocation of the pathogen inside the product during cutting procedures. Among the novel antimicrobial strategies, ozone may represent a useful tool against L. monocytogenes [...] Read more.
The occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes on Gorgonzola cheese surface was reported by many authors, with risks arising from the translocation of the pathogen inside the product during cutting procedures. Among the novel antimicrobial strategies, ozone may represent a useful tool against L. monocytogenes contamination on Gorgonzola cheese rind. In this study, the effect of gaseous ozone (2 and 4 ppm for 10 min) on L. monocytogenes and resident microbiota of Gorgonzola cheese rind stored at 4 °C for 63 days was evaluated. A culturomic approach, based on the use of six media and identification of colonies by MALDI-TOF MS, was used to analyse variations of resident populations. The decrease of L. monocytogenes was less pronounced in ozonised rinds with final loads of ~1 log CFU/g higher than controls. This behaviour coincided with a lower maximum population density of lactobacilli in treated samples at day 28. No significant differences were detected for the other microbial determinations and resident microbiota composition among treated and control samples. The dominant genera were Candida, Carnobacterium, Staphylococcus, Penicillium, Saccharomyces, Aerococcus, Yarrowia, and Enterococcus. Based on our results, ozone was ineffective against L. monocytogenes contamination on Gorgonzola rinds. The higher final L. monocytogenes loads in treated samples could be associated with a suppressive effect of ozone on lactobacilli, since these are antagonists of L. monocytogenes. Our outcomes suggest the potential use of culturomics to study the ecosystems of complex matrices, such as the surface of mould and blue-veined cheeses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Microbiology of Cheese)
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25 pages, 1631 KiB  
Article
Organoleptic Chemical Markers of Serpa PDO Cheese Specificity
by Helena Araújo-Rodrigues, António P. L. Martins, Freni K. Tavaria, Maria Teresa G. Santos, Maria João Carvalho, João Dias, Nuno B. Alvarenga and Manuela E. Pintado
Foods 2022, 11(13), 1898; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11131898 - 27 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2160
Abstract
Serpa is a protected designation of origin cheese produced with a vegetable coagulant (Cynara cardunculus L.) and raw ovine milk. Despite the unique sensory profile of raw milk cheeses, numerous parameters influence their sensory properties and safety. To protect the Serpa cheese [...] Read more.
Serpa is a protected designation of origin cheese produced with a vegetable coagulant (Cynara cardunculus L.) and raw ovine milk. Despite the unique sensory profile of raw milk cheeses, numerous parameters influence their sensory properties and safety. To protect the Serpa cheese quality and contribute to unifying their distinctive features, some rheologic and physicochemical parameters of cheeses from four PDO producers, in distinct seasons and with different sensory scores, were monitored. The results suggested a high chemical diversity and variation according to the dairy, month and season, which corroborates the significant heterogeneity. However, a higher incidence of some compounds was found: a group of free amino acids (Glu, Ala, Leu, Val and Phe), lactic and acetic acids, some volatile fatty acids (e.g., iC4, iC5, C6 and C12) and esters (e.g., ethyl butanoate, decanoate and dodecanoate). Through the successive statistical analysis, 13 variables were selected as chemical markers of Serpa cheese specificity: C3, C4, iC5, C12, Tyr, Trp, Ile, 2-undecanone, ethyl isovalerate, moisture content on a fat-free basis, the nitrogen-fractions (maturation index and non-protein and total nitrogen ratio) and G’ 1 Hz. These sensory markers’ identification will be essential to guide the selection and development of an autochthonous starter culture to improve cheese quality and safety issues and maintain some of the Serpa authenticity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Microbiology of Cheese)
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17 pages, 1620 KiB  
Article
Properties of Oaxaca Cheese Elaborated with Ultrasound-Treated Raw Milk: Physicochemical and Microbiological Parameters
by Mariana Huerta-Jimenez, Brissa Herrera-Gomez, Eduardo A. Dominguez-Ayala, America Chavez-Martinez, Juliana Juarez-Moya, Monserrath Felix-Portillo, Alma D. Alarcon-Rojo and Luis M. Carrillo-Lopez
Foods 2022, 11(12), 1735; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11121735 - 14 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1862
Abstract
The effect of ultrasound-treated fresh raw milk upon yield, physicochemical and microbiological quality of Oaxaca cheese was evaluated under a factorial design. The ultrasound frequencies tested were 25 and 45 kHz, during 15 or 30 min. The cheeses made with the ultrasonicated milk [...] Read more.
The effect of ultrasound-treated fresh raw milk upon yield, physicochemical and microbiological quality of Oaxaca cheese was evaluated under a factorial design. The ultrasound frequencies tested were 25 and 45 kHz, during 15 or 30 min. The cheeses made with the ultrasonicated milk (30 min, high-intensity ultrasound, HIU) had greater luminosity without significant changes in hue or chroma, as compared to the controls with no HIU. The yield improved significantly (by up to 2.8 kg/100 L of milk), as the ultrasound treatment time increased. Such cheese yield is attributable to the higher protein content, which was up to 1.5% higher, after sonication. Long-treatment time (30 min) at 25 kHz significantly lowered mesophilic bacteria counts down to limits allowed by current regulations and favors the growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) while lowering mold and yeast counts. The absence of E. coli and Salmonella spp. and the decrease in S. aureus counts in Oaxaca cheese were attributed to the mixing of the paste with hot water, inherent to the traditional elaboration process, and to the antagonistic effect of the ultrasound-triggered increased LAB on pathogenic bacteria. Since the artisanal elaboration of Oaxaca cheese does not comply with the current Mexican regulations regarding mesophiles, ultrasound could be a suitable technology to protect its genuine elaboration process with raw milk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Microbiology of Cheese)
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Review

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14 pages, 319 KiB  
Review
Bacillus cereus in Dairy Products and Production Plants
by Erica Tirloni, Simone Stella, Francesco Celandroni, Diletta Mazzantini, Cristian Bernardi and Emilia Ghelardi
Foods 2022, 11(17), 2572; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11172572 - 25 Aug 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4831
Abstract
Spore-forming Bacillus cereus is a common contaminant of dairy products. As the microorganism is widespread in the environment, it can contaminate milk at the time of milking, but it can also reach the dairy products in each phase of production, storage and ripening. [...] Read more.
Spore-forming Bacillus cereus is a common contaminant of dairy products. As the microorganism is widespread in the environment, it can contaminate milk at the time of milking, but it can also reach the dairy products in each phase of production, storage and ripening. Milk pasteurization treatment is not effective in reducing contamination and can instead act as an activator of spore germination, and a potential associated risk still exists with the consumption of some processed foods. Prevalences and concentrations of B. cereus in milk and dairy products are extremely variable worldwide: in pasteurized milk, prevalences from 2% to 65.3% were reported, with concentrations of up to 3 × 105 cfu/g, whereas prevalences in cheeses ranged from 0 to 95%, with concentrations of up to 4.2 × 106 cfu/g. Bacillus cereus is also well known to produce biofilms, a serious concern for the dairy industry, with up to 90% of spores that are resistant to cleaning and are easily transferred. As the contamination of raw materials is not completely avoidable, and the application of decontamination treatments is only possible for some ingredients and is limited by both commercial and regulatory reasons, it is clear that the correct application of hygienic procedures is extremely important in order to avoid and manage the circulation of B. cereus along the dairy supply chain. Future developments in interventions must consider the synergic application of different mild technologies to prevent biofilm formation and to remove or inactivate the microorganism on the equipment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Microbiology of Cheese)
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