The microbial flora of Awshari cheese with special reference to Lactobacilli.

Thirty-seven samples of Awshari cheese and 13 of Biza were examined microbiologically. Penicillia occurred in 2 samples of cheese and yeasts in 21, 3 of which contained Saccharomyces lactis. In 8 samples studied for the constitutive microflora, lactobacilli and streptococci were the most prevalent, with L. casei being the only Lactobacillus species isolated. Penicillia and yeasts occurred in all the samples of Biza, with Saccharomyces lactis being encountered in 5 out of 6 samples examined for the type of yeasts. The microbial flora consisted primarily of lactobacilli. Out of 98 lactobacilli isolated from 10 samples 55 were identified as betabacteria: 41 were attached to L. brevis, 13 L. buchneri and 1 L. pasteurianus. The remaining 43 isolates were streptobacteria: 21 belonged to L. coryniformis, 5 L. casei ssp pseudoplantarum, 3 ssp casei and 1 ssp alactosus, 2 L. plantarum ssp plantarum and 1 ssp arabinosus, 1 L. xylosus, 5 motile streptobacteria and 4 unidentifiable.