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REVIEW article

Front. Ind. Microbiol.
Sec. Food
Volume 2 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/finmi.2024.1420042
This article is part of the Research Topic Fermented Foods: Characterization of the Autochthonous Microbiota View all 7 articles

Tradition Unveiled: A Comprehensive Review of Microbiological Studies on Portuguese Traditional Cheeses, Merging Conventional and OMICs Analyses

Provisionally accepted
Teresa Semedo-Lemsaddek Teresa Semedo-Lemsaddek 1,2,3*Susana Serrano Susana Serrano 1,2Susana Morais Susana Morais 1,2
  • 1 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
  • 2 Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
  • 3 Institute of Biosystems and Integrative Sciences (BioISI), Lisbon, Portugal

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The microbial communities inhabiting Portuguese traditional cheeses play a fundamental role in shaping their unique flavor, texture, and safety characteristics. This comprehensive review synthesizes findings from both conventional microbiological studies and advanced OMICs analyses to provide a deeper understanding of the microbiota dynamics in these cheeses. We explore the microbial composition, diversity, and functional roles of bacteria, yeasts, and molds across various Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheeses, highlighting their contributions to cheese ripening, flavor development, and safety.Additionally, we discuss the potential of OMICs technologies, namely metagenomics, in unraveling the complex microbial ecosystems of Portuguese traditional cheeses. Through this integrative approach, we aim to shed light on the intricate interplay between microorganisms and cheese matrices, unveiling the secrets behind the rich heritage and distinctiveness of Portuguese traditional cheeses.

    Keywords: Traditional cheese, Protected Designation of Origin, artisanal manufacture procedures, Autochthonous microbiota, Conventional microbiology, metagenomics Portuguese traditional cheeses, microbiota, PDO cheeses, conventional microbiology, OMICs analyses, metagenomics, flavor development, cheese ripening

    Received: 19 Apr 2024; Accepted: 24 Jun 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Semedo-Lemsaddek, Serrano and Morais. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Teresa Semedo-Lemsaddek, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, 1300-477, Portugal

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.