Microbiome of Kraft soft cheeses made from raw goat milk during ripening

The orientation of consumers towards healthy food increases the demand for artisanal cheeses made from raw goat milk. The production of such cheeses in Ukraine is carried out on small eco-farms, ensuring the uniqueness of their microbiological composition. The aim of the study was to determine the microbiome of soft goat cheeses Feta and Chèvre as a criterion of quality and safety during the ripening process. The MALDI-TOF method was used for the identification of microorganisms. In brined Feta cheese, on the 7th day, 18th, and 30th months of ripening, no moulds were detected, and the total number of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms (MAFAnM), as well as yeasts, showed little change. The number of dominant lactic acid bacteria species in Feta cheese, Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus paracasei, depended on the ripening period. Small amounts of Staphylococcus simulans, Serratia liquefaciens, Kurthia gibsonii, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus durans, and Bacillus cereus were also isolated from this cheese. In white mould-ripened Chèvre cheese, the MAFAnM count did not change significantly on the 3rd, 20th, and 42nd days of ripening. The amount of mould in this cheese showed a strong direct correlation, while yeast counts had a strong inverse correlation with the ripening period. The main species of lactic acid bacteria in Chèvre cheese were represented by Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Lactobacillus plantarum. During ripening, small amounts of Staphylococcus simulans, Serratia liquefaciens, Kurthia gibsonii, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus durans were isolated from Chèvre cheese. The primary moulds in Chèvre cheese were Galactomyces candidus, Galactomyces geotrichum, and Penicillium halotolerans. The species and quantitative composition of microorganisms in Feta and Chèvre cheeses indicated their proper quality and safety and can serve as criteria for their authenticity. The research results provided new data on the microbiome dynamics of artisanal soft cheeses made from raw goat milk produced in Ukraine