Microbial and Biochemical Characterization of Three Artisan British Cheeses throughout the Maturation Process

Cheese is a very popular fermented dairy product that has potential gut health benefits. To gain insight into possible mechanisms behind such effects, this study aimed to characterize three distinct types of British artisan cheeses and to assess microbial and biochemical changes throughout maturation up to the point of consumption. The three types of cheese used in this study were a soft bloomy-rind cheese, a semisoft washed-rind cheese, and a semihard cheese aged in hay. Cheese samples were collected at different stages of maturation and characterized microbially and biochemically using 16S amplicon sequencing and 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, respectively. Profound differences were found between the different types of cheese and between the same types of cheese at different stages of maturation in a way that shows physical progression as measured by their appearance and sensory characteristics. With these results, we can hypothesize the effects that their consumption might have.