Microbiological characterization of the biofilms of wooden shelves used for ripening of traditional raw milk cheeses produced in Sicily (South Italy).

The production of artisanal Sicilian cheeses is generally carried out with wooden equipment. For centuries, wood has been the main material used in cheese making due to its availability, low cost and resistance over time. Among dairy wooden equipment, the wooden vat used for milk curdling plays a role of paramount importance to inoculate the bulk milk with desired lactic acid bacteria (LAB) responsible for the acidification of the curd. In the last few years, the biofilms associated to these containers have been object of study of different research groups, mainly Italian and French, but so far, very little is known about the microbiological characteristics of the wooden shelves used for ch…