Mycoflora of a traditional Spanish blue cheese

Abstract

The mycoflora of a Spanish blue cheese in a natural way (Valdeón) was investigate. Moulds and yeasts isolated in cheeses al different stages of manufacture and at the stage of consumption were identified to species level and the proteolytic and lipolytic activities of the major strains estimated. Penicillium was the main genus identified, with P. roqueforti, P. verrucosum, P. chysogenum, the morphologically closely related species P.aurantiogriseum/P.solitum/P.commune, and P. expansum being the major species. Other genera found were Cladosporium, Mucor and to a lesser extent Paecilomyces, Acremonium, Alternaria and Geotrichum. The major species of yeasts found were Debaryomyces hansenii, Kluyveromyces lactis and Yarrowia lipolytica. On the surface of the finished cheese P. aurantiogriseum/P. solium/P.comune and D. hansenii were dominant. The most lipolytic species were P. roqueforti, P. verrucosum and Y. lipolytica, P. chysogenum was the most proteolytic. None of the P. roqueforti strains showed proteolytic activity.