Supporting Dairy Producers to Guide Milk Microbial Balances for Raw Milk Cheese Quality

This study implemented an R&D program to support dairy producers in six French PDO cheese supply chains by developing and testing advisory approaches for guiding milk microbial balances. On the basis of sociological and technical analyses, participants co-constructed tools including a change-management framework, microbiological analysis methods, a diagnostic of farming practices, and a targeted training module. Field trials in ten small raw milk dairies yielded new insights into microbial reservoirs capable of inoculating milk and demonstrated how farming practices—particularly post-milking hygiene under controlled conditions—impact the natural milk microbiota crucial for cheese specificity.