Evaluation of bacterial diversity of traditional cheese in Tarbagatay Prefecture, China, and its correlation with cheese quality

In Xinjiang, China, traditional handmade cheese is made from fresh milk under natural environmental conditions and is a common fermented dairy product in the region. Due to differences in production methods between regions, the research conducted on the bacterial diversity of traditional handmade cheese is not comprehensive. Hence, little is known about the relationship between bacteria and cheese quality. Therefore, in this study, cheese samples from Tarbagatay Prefecture, Xinjiang, were chosen for investigation. The bacteria in 17 cheese samples were analyzed by sequencing 16S rRNA using Illumina MiSeq technology. The results showed that there were two dominant bacterial phyla and six dominant bacterial genera in the cheeses. Of these, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus displayed the most significant positive correlation with cheese quality. This study provides data to support the improvement of traditional cheese quality via microbial diversity and lays a foundation for the industrialization of traditional cheese production.