Isolation and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) from Iranian Traditional Lighvan Cheese

The aim of this study was to identify lactic acid bacteria of Lighvan cheese, as a first step towards the development of a starter culture, which would allow the making of a safe and uniform product from pasteurized milk. Fifty four typical colonies of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were selected out of 480 isolates from samples of Lighvan cheese. Isolates were identified by biochemical test. Accordingly they were classified into 6 genera: Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc and Lactococcus (55.5, 11.11, 9.25, 5.55, 3.7 and 1.85% respectively and 12% of isolates were unidentified). L. agilis (13 isolates), L. plantarum (8 isolates) and entroccoci of faecium group (5 isolates) were prevalent species in product. Other identified Lactobacilli included L. maltaromicus (4 isolates), L. paracasie subsp paracasie (2 isolates), L. intestinalis (1 isolate), L. salivarius (1 isolate) and L. acetotolerance (4, 2, 1, 1 and 1 isolate respectively). Also isolates of Strepoccocus thermophillus (2 isolate), Streptococcus downei (1 isolate), Streptococcus oralis (2 isolates), Enterococcus Faecalis (1 isolate), Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp dextranicum (1 isolate), Leuconostoc. Mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroids (1 isolate), Pediococcus inopinatus (2 isolates) and P. pentosaceus subsp intermedius (1 isolate) were identified. The results of this study suggest that an adequate starter for production of Lighvan cheese may be composed of strains of L. agillis, L. plantarum, Enterococcus faecium group and species of Lactococcus and Luconostoc.