Ποσοτικός και μοριακός χαρακτηρισμός της μικροχλωρίδας του Κυπριακού τραχανά

Abstract

Nowadays, the industrial production of most dairy products based on the use of commercial starter cultures. However, at small businesses, the producers exploit the presence of wild microflora of milk for the manufacture of dairy products. These products are characterized by particularly more intense and pleasant organoleptic characteristics. Simultaneously they represent an unexplored source of microorganisms with particular technological dynamics. It is clear, therefore, that these "wild microorganisms" can be isolated and used as starter cultures or complementary. However, on behalf of the general public, however, there is a concern regarding the use of these organisms and the impact on human health and also by the food industry about any negative effects in the resulting product. Meanwhile, the global trend of science and food technology, and the requirements of the consumer, for the production of less processed foods, seeking an accurate characterization of these foods in order to optimize production and specifically document all production details for quality assure purposes. Last but not least the producer will use all data to better promote these products. The purpose of this project explores the microbial microflora of Cyprus trahana in order to precisely describe the acidification of milk through its natively induced fermentation. At the same time it is a preliminary attempt to investigate the safety of the product examining the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the final product. Five different selective growth media, were used for microorganisms isolation from the different stages of traditional Trahana production. The isolates wrere grouped and identified using a combination of pheno- and genotypic methods. The results presented all types and populations of microorganisms, where the predominant microflora during fermentation. The Lactobacillus and the Lactococcus had shown very high populations during the study. As for the rest of the microbial groups which were studied, a trend of reduction was observed during the course of fermentation, except for the yeasts where populations increased. The pH of all samples decreased in 3 to 5 days, at the desired lewis (4 - 4,5). Finally, wre compare and discuss the microorganisms identified in other similar studies of similar dairy fermented products.