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In the Western Balkans, traditional dry-cured sheep ham called Pastrma or Stelja is produced. Dry-cured sheep ham from Sjenica is produced in a very complex manner, and a prerequisite for its production is the sanitary safety of raw materials in accordance with veterinary and sanitary regulations. Isolation and preliminary identification of fungi from sheep ham were carried out in this study, as well as in vitro testing of the effects of water activity (aw) on the growth of isolated fungi. Fungi were isolated from 9 samples of dry-cured sheep meat taken from three households in the area of Sjenica in two productive years (2015 and 2016). Species of genus Penicillium were isolated as dominant in all the investigated samples. Water activity was tested on MY50GF agar from the series of malt extract yeast extract glucose fructose agar. Water activity was set to values of 0.87, 0.89, and 0.97. The results of the research showed that the growth of fungal colonies is under the direct influence of water activity. Fungi grew fastest at water activity of 0.97, and the highest growth of all tested species was recorded after 3 (A. niger), 7 (P. patulum), and 10 days (A. nidulans).

In this study, the effects of environmental factors (different media, temperature, pH, salt and sugar concentrations) on the planktonic growth, biofilm formation and formed biofilm of Escherichia coli KGPMF 16 and Escherichia coli KGPMF 17 were investigated. Tested bacteria were isolated from traditionally made cheese produced in Southeastern Serbia (Sokobanja region). The influence on planktonic growth, biofilm formation and formed biofilm was determined using spectrophotometric method. The limiting factors for the planktonic growth and biofilm formation were temperature of 4 °C and all tested concentrations of salt. The growth of tested bacteria was higher in media enriched with lactose than in media containing glucose. TSB was more congenial media to the planktonic growth of bacteria than MHB broth. None of the tested bacteria demonstrated the ability to form biofilm at 4 °C and 44 °C. Only E. coli KGPMF 17 showed ability to form biofilm in TSB at 37 °C. Different concentrations of salt, glucose and lactose exhibited inhibitory effect on biofilm formation, but all tested concentrations of lactose showed stimulating effect on formed biofilm of E. coli KGPMF 17. These results contribute to better understanding of the effects of environmental factors on the development of E. coli in cheese.

In order to follow the composition and changes in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population of rye flour sourdough that was continuously propagated by a repeated inoculation, sixty-two strains of LAB were isolated and characterized. The LAB were the only bacteria detected, both at the end of the second propagation step and in the stage of mature sourdough (after two weeks of continuous daily refreshment). The stable ecological system in rye sourdough could be established from the second propagation step onward. The predominant genera of LAB during the development of sourdough were lactobacilli, which were grouped in eight clusters. Heterofermentative lactobacilli were in majority in both propagation step two and a mature sourdough participating 56% and 70% of total bacterial count, respectively. The identification based on a phenotypic characterization that was carried out by using a set of 36 tests, showed that the lactobacilli contained in the two sourdough steps did not clearly belong to any known species of the genus Lactobacillus. In addition, the structure of the bacterial population were monitored by two statistical techniques (Hierachical Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis), being applied to phenotypical characteristics of the isolates.