Isolation and Identification of the Indigenous Lactic acid Bacteria of Koozeh Cheese and Its Changes during Ripening (Fresh and Ripened) Using Cultural Methods and Carbohydrate Fermentation Profiles

The objective of this study was to evaluate lactic flora identification in fresh (one-day) and ripened (90-day) Koozeh cheese samples as one of the raw milk cheeses. In first step, in order to isolate the different genera of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), selective and differential (corresponding) media were used as follow: MRS for lactobacilli and pediococci, MRS+ vancomycin for leuconostocs, M17 for lactococci and KAA for enterococci. Totally, 48 single, purified colonies were selected and identified using confirmatory, biochemical and phenotypic tests down to the genus level. Lactobacilli (33.33%), lactococci (12.5%), pediococci (2.08%), enterococci (47.91%) and aerococci (4.16%) were determined as the most abundant genera. At last, carbohydrate fermentation profile using API 50 CH and API 20 STREP kits was used for identification down to species level. Finally, following species were identified: Lactobacillus. plantarum, Lb. brevis, Lb. lindneri, Lb. helveticus, Lb. delbrueckii ssp. delbrueckii, Lb. pentosus, Lb. fermentum, Lactococcus. lactis ssp. lactis, Enterococcus. faecium, Ent. faecalis, Ent. avium, Ent. durans and Aerococcus. viridans. In fresh cheese, the Lactococci and lactobacilli genera were predominant but in ripened cheese the enterococci replaced them. Predominant species in fresh cheese were as follow: Lac. lactis ssp. lactis (44.44%) and Lb. plantarum (22.22%) but Ent. faecium (43.58%), Lb. brevis (12.82%) and Ent. faecalis (7.69%) constituted the major part in ripened cheese. We can mention that these predominant lactic acid bacteria play an important role during ripening and also flavor production in raw milk cheeses like Koozeh. So, more precise identification is very necessary using culture- based molecular and culture- independent methods down to strain level.