Effect of growth media on natural starter culture composition and performance evaluated with a polyphasic approach

Three lyophilised scotta innesto natural starter cultures for Pecorino Romano PDO cheese, collected in the 1960s, were revitalised. The influence of M17 and MRS media, compared with the traditional scotta medium, on the microbiota rep‐PCR pattern, acidification ability, and viable cell concentration was investigated with the aim of testing the effects of alternative growth media to scotta, which does not enable high cell concentration. The cocci:bacilli ratio, the cultures’ acidification ability, as well as their molecular fingerprint, were affected by the cultivation medium. The development of a new medium that does not affect the cultures’ characteristics while increasing viable cell concentration, would be desirable.