Identification of lactic acid bacteria isolated from the traditional cheese and determination of starter culture properties from Black Sea region

In this study, the physicochemical and microbiological properties of Artvin Şor, Giresun Tecen (İmansız), Kargı Tulum, Ordu Kesik and Trabzon Telli cheese samples, which are traditional cheese varieties of the Black Sea Region, were determined. The isolated lactic acid bacteria from cheese samples were identified and the potential of using the identified bacteria as a starter culture was evaluated. As a result of the physicochemical analyzes, dry matter values of traditional cheese samples were found to be 40,89±0,16 – 56,59±1,38%, ash values were found to be 2,30±0,03 – 6,70±0,03, protein values were found to be % 16,19±4,22 – 22,06±0,32, titration acidity (%LA) values were found to be 0,17±0,03 – 1,96±0,10, pH values were found to be 4,75±0,07 – 6,61 ±0,04 and water activity values were found to be between 0,9057±0,00 – 0,9978±0,00. TMAB numbers of the samples were 5,48±0,28 – 9,34±0,70 log CFU/g, total psychrophilic bacteria (TPB) numbers were 1,95±0,70 – 4,00±0,15 log CFU/g, total yeast-mold (TMK) numbers were 5,00±0,31 – 8,35±0,11 log CFU/g, and LAB numbers were ranged between 4,62±0,76 – 7,87±0,64 log CFU/g. When the total coliform group bacteria (TC) numbers of the cheese samples were examined, it was seen that while coliform group bacteria were not found in the Artvin Şor and Kargı Tulum cheese samples, the highest TC numbers were found in the Giresun Tecen cheese samples with 3,73±0,02 log CFU/g. After biochemical identification of LAB isolated from traditional cheese samples, DNA isolations and readings of selected 39 strains were made and lactic acid bacteria were identified. Of the 39 strains analysed 14 were Enterococcus faecium (35,9%), 5 were Levilactobacillus brevis (12,8%), 1 were Leuconostoc lactis (2,5%), 6 were Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (15,3%), 1 were Leuconostoc mesenteroides (2,5%), 1 Weissella cibaria (2,5%), 3 Pediococcus acidilactici (7,6%), 3 Enterococcus durans (7,6%), 2 Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (5,1%), 3 of them were Lacticaseibacillus casei (7,6%). Proteolytic activity, acidification, diacetyl production and dextran production properties were investigated in order to determine the potential of the obtained isolates as starter cultures. According to the analysis results, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus durans, Lacticaseibacillus casei and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strains were determined as the strains with the best starter culture characteristics, although they vary according to the cheese types (hard, semi hard, soft).