Distinct shifts in bacteriophage diversity and abundance during various stages of Gouda-type cheese production.

ABSTRACT: Bacteriophage (or phage) infection is known to disrupt milk fermentation processes involving lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This highlights the need to understand the dynamics of phage infection, particularly in fermentations involving undefined complex starter cultures, where conventional phage detection methodologies that rely on host bacteria come with limitations. Here, a metagenomic approach combined with microbiological methods was employed to assess the presence, diversity, and compositional changes in lactococcal phages within an industrial cheese production process. The virome data sets of ingredients and samples taken at various stages of the fermentation process were analyzed, revealing 12 presumptive lactococcal phage genomes belonging to either the Skunavirus genus or the

SUBMITTER: Yu J-H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12442387 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature