Diversity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional Montenegrin dairy products

Traditional production of fermented dairy products in Montenegro is carried out without adding defined starter cultures. This way of production involves lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that are normally present in the raw milk and production environment. This autochthonous ("wild") fermentation microbiota represents a reservoir of unknown strains. In order to study the LAB diversity, 25 indigenous dairy products in Montenegro have been tested. Isolation was performed on microbial media M17 and MRS agar with or without supplementations under aerobic and anaerobic conditions at temperatures of 30?C, 37 ?C and 44?C. Identification of these isolates at species level was done by species-specific PCR and gene regions sequencing of representatives of each RAPD-cluster. RAPD-PCR was used to characterize the isolates at strain level. Nine Lactobacillus species, five Leuconostoc species, four Enterococcus species as well as strains of the species Lactococcus lactis, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Streptococcus thermophilus were detected. It can be concluded that a rich lactic acid bacteria diversity existed in the analyzed Montenegrin dairy products. Further examination of the isolates could lead to the development of autochthonous starter cultures that would contribute to a product that is characteristic for the geographical area and to which the local population is accustomed.