Microbial analysis of raw cows’ milk used for cheese-making: influence of storage treatments on microbial composition and other technological traits

Raw milk used to produce Grana cheese was subjected to several treatment regimes, including varying temperatures and storage times. Milk from morning and evening milking were transferred to a dairy factory separately (double delivery) or together (single delivery), after storage at the farm for 12 h; in the former case, milk was stored at 12 or 8°C, whereas, in the latter, it was kept at ambient temperature or 18°C. Values of pH of the vat milk were lower for milk samples kept at room temperature, while other physico-chemical parameters and rheological characteristics tested did not show significant differences linked to the different storage temperatures of milk used for “Grana Trentino” cheese production. Total microorganisms and several microbial groups (psychrotrophic bacteria, coliforms, mesophilic and termophilic lactic acid bacteria, including enterococci, pseudomonads and clostridia) were detected and quantified by classical (plate count and most probable number) techniques, after each technological treatment for a total of 212 milk and cream samples. The application of a culture-independent microbiological strategy, consisting of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, allowed the recognition of several bacterial genera and species.