A polyphasic approach in order to identify dominant lactic acid bacteria during pasta manufacturing

Using a polyphasic approach, we have isolated and identified, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in samples directly collected from an artisanal pasta-making manufactory located in Puglia (South Italy). Samples were collected during several steps of pasta processing and LAB were isolated on MRS and M17 plates. Furthermore, strains were grouped in a total of eight species by means of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) typing and 16S rDNA sequencing. The majority of strains were identified as belonging to Pediococcus pentosaceus and Enterococcus faecium species. The remaining strains were characterized and assigned to Weissella confusa, Pediococcus acidilactici, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuconostoc citreum, Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactobacillus plantarum species. Strains were identified from all the analysed samples, and growth of LAB was monitored from extrusion to pre-heating steps.