Cheese Microbial Ecology and Safety

Cheese microorganisms are either associated with the ingredients used in cheese manufacture or components of the starter culture. The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) most often used as starter cultures are members of the genera Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc and Enterococcus. Some LAB, known as non-starter LAB (NSLAB), are not deliberately added as part of primary or secondary starter cultures. They belong to the autochthonous milk microbiota or gain access to the cheese from environmental or technological sources. LAB have been widely used to improve the safety of fermented products due to the production of a broad variety of antimicrobial compounds. In situ production of organic acids increases the shelf life and safety of the final product. Thermal treatments destroy foodborne pathogens and are one of the primary techniques used to ensure food safety. The heat resistance of any pathogen is influenced by many factors such as strain variation.