Application of multi-functional lactic acid bacteria strains in a pilot scale feta cheese production

Christina S Kamarinou; Olga S Papadopoulou; Agapi I Doulgeraki; Chrysoula C Tassou; Alex Galanis; Nikos G Chorianopoulos; Anthoula A Argyri

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1254598

Application of multi-functional lactic acid bacteria strains in a pilot scale feta cheese production

Front Microbiol. 2023 Oct 11:14:1254598. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1254598. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Christina S Kamarinou^{1

2}, Olga S Papadopoulou¹, Agapi I Doulgeraki³, Chrysoula C Tassou¹, Alex Galanis², Nikos G Chorianopoulos⁴, Anthoula A Argyri¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-DIMITRA, Athens, Greece.
² Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
³ Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
⁴ Laboratory of Microbiology and Biotechnology of Foods, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Abstract

Feta cheese is the most recognized Greek Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product in the world. The addition of selected autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains to cheese milk as adjunct cultures is gaining more attention, since they can impact the nutritional, technological and sensory properties of cheeses, as well as improve the safety of the product. The aim of this study was to produce Feta cheese with enhanced quality and safety, and distinctive organoleptic characteristics by applying autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with multi-functional properties as adjunct cultures. Feta cheeses were produced with the commercial lactococcal starter culture and the addition of 9 LAB strains (Lactococcus lactis SMX2 and SMX16, Levilactobacillus brevis SRX20, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei SRX10, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum FRX20 and FB1, Leuconostoc mesenteroides FMX3, FMX11, and FRX4, isolated from artisanal Greek cheeses) in different combinations to produce 13 cheese trials (12 Feta trials with the adjunct LAB isolates and the control trial). In addition, Feta cheese manufactured with FMX3 and SMX2 and control Feta cheese were artificially inoculated (4 log CFU/g) with Listeria monocytogenes (a cocktail of 4 acid or non-acid adapted strains). Cheese samples were monitored by microbiological and physicochemical analyses during ripening, and microbiological, physicochemical, molecular and sensory analyses during storage at 4°C. The results showed that after manufacture, the LAB population was ca. 9.0 log CFU/g at all samples, whereas during storage, their population declined to 6.5-7.0 log CFU/g. In the Listeria inoculated samples, Listeria was absent after 60 days (end of ripening) and after 90 days in the adjunct culture, and in the control trials, respectively. Moreover, the addition of selected strains, especially Lcb. paracasei SRX10, led to cheeses with desirable and distinctive organoleptic characteristics. Furthermore, randomly amplified polymorphic PCR (RAPD-PCR) molecular analysis confirmed that the multi-functional LAB strains were viable by the end of storage. Overall, the results of this study are promising for the use of autochthonous strains in various combinations with the commercial starter culture to satisfy industry requirements and consumer demands for traditional and high added value fermented products.

Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes; RAPD-PCR; autochthonous cultures; feta cheese; multi-functional LAB; organic acids; sensory characteristics.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research has been financed by the project “Development Of Novel Biofunctional Foods And Total Quality Enhancement Of Traditional Dairy Products By Suitable Management Of Their Microbial Ecology” (BIOTRUST: T1EDK-00968) that is co-financed by the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, under the call RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE.