Detection and isolation of lactic acid bacteria and its use as local starters in Syrian Akawi cheese processing

Lactic Acid bacteria can be considered as the most important bacteria in the dairy products due to its vital effects and its portion of the total flora. The main objective of this study was to isolate and classify the Lactic Acid bacteria from Syrian Akawi cheese samples. 27 isolates were isolated from 30 samples collected from Syrian cities, country side and urban markets in 2011. These bacterial isolates were identified using the API Biochemical test. The dominant bacteria was Enterococcus genus with 40.7%, followed by Lactobacillus 37.1%, Lactococcus 14.8% and Leuconostoc 7.4%. In order to form three starters to be used in Akawi cheese processing, many strains were used and these were Lc. lactis ssp. lactis, Lc. lactis ssp. cremoris, Lb. bulgaricus, Lb. paracasei, and E. faecium. Samples sensory evolution including physical appearance, colour, impurities, taste, smell and texture were carried out. The results showed that the best conventional samples were with starters made from the strains Lc. lactis ssp. cremoris, Lb. bulgaricus and E. faecium, and in lower level the strains Lc. lactis ssp. lactis, Lb. bulgaricus and Lb. paracasei. and last the strains Lc. lactis ssp. lactis, Lb. bulgaricus and E. faecium