CHANGES IN NUMBERS AND KINDS OF LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA IN FETA AND TELEME, 2 GREEK CHEESES FROM EWES MILK

Nonstarter lactic acid bacteria in five batches of Feta cheese were studied throughout a 90-d ripening period. Low pH (5.19 to 4.56) of the cheese favored the growth of lactobacilli, which predominated over enterococci and pediococci throughout ripening. Lactobacillus plantarum was the predominant species that accounted for 47.8% of the isolates, and it seems that high NaCl-in-moisture of the cheese (> 5.9%) favored the growth of this organism. Four batches of Teleme cheese were also investigated through 180 d of ripening. Lactococci were found in curd and 5-d-old cheese (38.7% of the isolates), and lactobacilli predominated over lactococci, leuconostocs, and enterococci throughout ripening. The pH of the cheese ranged from 4.85 to 4.57; brine concentration was from 3.12 to 5.68%. The cheese environment possibly favored the growth of L. plantarum, which was die species most frequently (65.8% of the isolates) found in the cheese Mean log counts of lactic acid bacteria ranged from 4.59 in curd to 7.95 (30 d) in Feta, counts of Teleme cheese ranged from 5.66 in curd to 8.14 at 60 d of ripening. These high bacterial counts suggest that nonstarter lactic acid bacteria play an important role in cheese ripening.