Probiotic Potential of Autochthone Microbiota from S&#227;o Jorge and <i>Parmigiano-Reggiano</i> Cheeses

Abstract

For a long time, ripened cheeses have been officially recognized as having human health beneficial properties. However, to date only a few studies have investigated the complex microbiota of S?o Jorge and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses in order to identify microorganisms with probiotic potential. Hence, with the purpose of analyzing the probiotic potential of autochthone bacteria from S?o Jorge and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, lactic acid bacteria isolated from both products were isolated and their direct biotic interaction against three bacteria found in the human intestine evaluated. From a total of 225 bacterial autochthone isolates, 67 had synergetic behavior with Bifidobacterium animalis , 34 had no synergetic behavior with Shigella dysenteriae and 33 had antagonistic activity with this human pathogen. Biochemical tests were used to identify these cheese isolates with probiotic potential. Lactobacillus paracasei subsp paracasei Lactobacillus a rhamnosus were found in S &#227; o Jorge cheese and Lactobacillus rhamnosus , Lactobacillus buchneri and Lactobacillus curvatus in the Parmigiano cheese. Overall, initial exploratory studies with S &#227; o Jorge cheese seem to show a higher number of potential probiotic agents than those found in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. However, in order to better understand the functional potential of this traditional Portuguese cheese, further confirmatory studies should be pursued.