Exploiting the potential of bacteria in the cheese ecosystem

The diversity of the cheese microbiota contributes greatly to the complexity of the cheese-ripening process, crucially important for developing the unique sensory characteristics of each traditional cheese variety. Interactions between microorganisms, e.g. microbial co-operation and antagonistic effects, markedly impact on the survival, growth and activity of microorganisms in cheese. Bacteriocins are antimicrobials that are produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and enable them to dominate the cheese ecosystem. Recently, there has been interest in the possible use of bacteriocins to promote the lysis of LAB and hence contribute to cheese proteolysis and flavour development. This review examines some of the strategies proposed for controlling bacteria in the cheese ecosystem as a means of ensuring high-quality production standards. It focuses on approaches such as the selection of adjuncts, especially facultatively heterofermentative lactobacilli, the selection of new wild strains of LAB and strategies based on microbial co-operation and microbial antagonism.