Evaluation of genetic polymorphism among Lactobacillus rhamnosus non-starter Parmigiano Reggiano cheese strains

►Sixty-six Lactobacillus rhamnosus were isolated during a single Parmigiano Reggiano manufacturing and ripening ►They were characterised using a combination of genotypic fingerprinting techniques (RAPD-PCR and REP-PCR) ►Twenty different biotypes are founded and they correlate with specific moments in Parmigiano Reggiano cheese ripening. ►This result suggests that different biotypes may have specific effects during cheese ripening closely linked to their peculiar metabolic properties