Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria From the Crust and Inner Part of Artisanally Produced Mihaliç Cheese Sold With Salty and Low Salty Label by Using <scp>MALDI</scp> ‐ <scp>TOF</scp> ‐ <scp>MS</scp> and <scp>16S rDNA</scp> Sequencing

Mihaliç is a traditional cheese manufactured using artisanal methods without adding starter cultures from a mixture of sheep's and cow's milk. The indigenous microbiota originating from raw milk and the surrounding environment, which adapt to the ripening conditions, play a crucial role in developing the artisanal cheeses' characteristic flavor, aroma, and texture. In this study, the lactic acid bacteria in both the crust and the inner part of Mihaliç sold under the label of Salty Mihaliç Cheese (SMC) and Low-Salty Mihaliç Cheese (LSMC) were determined using MALDI-TOF MS analysis and 16S rDNA sequencing. The enumeration of Streptococcaceae on M17 agar revealed approximately a 2-log higher count compared to <i>Lactobacillus</i> and <i>Enterococcus</i> populations. Among the isolates recovered from M17 medium, <i>Lactococcus lactis</i> was identified as the predominant species, comprising 43.7% of the total. Notably, consistent with observations in many other artisanal raw milk cheeses, <i>Streptococcus gallolyticus</i> subsp. <i>macedonicus</i> and <i>Streptococcus infantarius</i> subsp. <i>infantarius</i> were also detected at high frequencies, with 41.2% and 7.5% prevalence rates, respectively. Among the enterococci, <i>Enterococcus faecium</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> were the most frequently isolated species, accounting for 43.5% and 42.2% of the isolates, respectively. Regarding the distribution of lactobacilli, <i>Lacticaseibacillus casei/paracasei</i> and <i>Limosilactobacillus fermentum</i> emerged as the dominant species, exhibiting prevalence rates of 47.1% and 35.2%, respectively. Meanwhile, comparative analysis between SMC and LSMC cheese samples showed that <i>Lim. fermentum</i> was more abundant in SMC samples (55.1%), whereas <i>Lcb. paracasei/casei</i> was dominant in LSMC samples (55.9%). Furthermore, both <i>Lim. fermentum</i> and <i>Lcb. rhamnosus</i> were more frequently recovered from the inner part of the cheese matrix. These findings highlight the complex and diverse lactic microbiota of Mihaliç cheese, which is likely to play a significant role in the development of its unique flavor and textural characteristics.