Microbial communities involved in Kaşar cheese ripening

The microbiota of non–starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) and their concomitant community dynamics during cheese ripening were investigated for traditional Turkish Kaşar cheeses made from raw cows' milk. Five batches of 15 Kaşar cheeses produced in different dairy plants located in Kars wereanalysed during their whole ripening phase up to 180 days. Lactobacilli and lactococci were determined as the prevailing microbial groups. The molecular classification and identification of 594 LAB isolates during Kaşar cheese ripening were performed through (GTG)5–PCR fingerprinting of their genomic DNA followed by verification of the (GTG)5–PCR clusters obtained after numerical analysis through 16S rRNA gene sequencing of representative isolates. Lactobacillus casei (247 isolates, 41.6%), Lactobacillus plantarum (77 isolates, 13.0%), and Pediococcus acidilactici (58 isolates, 9.8%) were the prevailing NSLAB species in all Kaşar cheeses of the different dairy plants investigated throughout cheese ripening. The data of the present study contribute to the inventory of unique cheese varieties to enable the prevention of losses of microbial biodiversity and the selection of starter cultures for controlled cheese manufacturing. •Lactobacilli and lactococci are as the prevailing microbial groups in Kaşar cheese.•Lb. casei, Lb. plantarum, and P. acidilactici were the dominant in all Kaşar cheeses.•The most predominant species is Lb. casei in Kaşar cheeses.•We offer Lb. casei, Lb. plantarum, and P. acidilactici as a starter for Kaşar cheese.