Peculiarities of the Yeast Microflora of Authentic Ossetia Cheeses

The yeast microflora of brined Ossetia cheeses made from raw milk by small farms in various regions of North and South Ossetia has been studied for the first time. A total of 17 yeast species belonging to ten genera were identified. It is shown that the composition of the yeast microflora of Ossetia cheeses depends on the place of production, the microflora of the raw milk and starter culture, and the type of milk. Most of the Ossetian cheeses studied were dominated by lactose-utilizing yeasts Kluyveromyces lactis and Debaryomyces hansenii, as well as by lactose-negative yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia kudriavzevii, and P. fermentans. The composition of the microflora of artisanal Ossetia cheeses is more diverse than that of commercial cheeses produced from pasteurized milk.