Microbial communities for the benefit of cheese quality: Diversity, adaptive and functional dynamics of indigenous populations and starters

Traditional cheeses host diverse indigenous and starter microbial populations that influence sanitary and sensory qualities during ripening. Recent (meta)genomic analyses have identified over 100 genera and 400 species in raw milk and cheese, and potential environmental reservoirs of these microbes. Comparative genomics reveals genetic signatures of adaptation in cheese-derived strains. Variations in microbial composition and dynamics correlate with sensory and volatile compound profiles among cheeses made with similar technology, though linking these changes to enzymatic gene expression remains challenging. Advances in in situ microbial mRNA analysis promise improved understanding of the functional roles and interactions of key cheese microbiota.