Temporal differences in microbial composition of Époisses cheese rinds during ripening and storage

Époisses is a protected designation of origin smear-ripened cheese from the Burgundy region in France. It has an orange color and strong flavor, both which are generated by surface microorganisms. The objective present study was to investigate microbial dynamics at during ripening postmanufacturing storage low temperatures. Rind samples were analyzed enumeration on agar plates 16S rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer amplicon sequencing. During most process, counts yeasts, corresponded species Debaryomyces hansenii Geotrichum candidum, higher than those aerobic acid-sensitive bacteria. reached level about 3 × 108 cfu/cm2, its viability strongly decreased late stage 4°C. Two inoculated bacterial species, Brevibacterium aurantiacum Staphylococcus xylosus, did not establish themselves surface. At end ripening, among 18 abundant detected sequencing, 14 gram-negative, mainly genera Psychrobacter, Vibrio, Halomonas, Mesonia. hypothesized that high moisture rinds, due humid atmosphere rooms frequent washings curds, favored growth these gram-negative species. These may be interest for development efficient cultures. In addition, because cheeses could attributed Brevibacterium, it would interesting type pigments confer this cheese.