www.corfilac.it

Area 3 - Department 3


Microbiology Lab


The laboratory of Dairy Microbiology has focused the activity on two main research branches:

• • Characterization of native microflora of Sicilian hystorical cheeses
• • Food safety of raw milk cheeses
The native microflora characterization of raw milk and of traditional tools, the main motor of the cheese making and of the biochemical events involved in the development of organoleptic peculiarities of the cheese, is important to safeguard the typical biological patrimony of Sicilian dairy products.
In order, to have a deeper and a complete interpretation of systematic microbiology, the laboratory applies modern molecular methods, besides the conventional phenotypic techniques, to characterize the bacterial population at different taxonomic levels and to discriminate single biotypes into same species. The other main objective of the Consortium is that to test the safety of Sicilian raw milk cheeses and of the wooden traditional tools applying, besides the conventional microbiology, the identification innovative system of pathogens based on DNA amplification technique, the BAX® System. In this area of research are in progress these projects:
• • Biotyping of microbic ecosystem of Sicilian historical cheeses and of wooden traditional tools used;
• • Study of the role of the traditional “tina” biofilm on the safety of dairy products;
• • Study of the role of lactic bacteria, native of raw milk or passed on by “tina” biofilm, on the pathogens growth inhibition.

Besides this research activity the laboratory performs milk quality tests for the improvement of local farm management.

The laboratory of microbiology participates to the international inter-laboratory ring trials to evaluate in milk:


1. 1. Total bacterial count at 30°
2. 2. Presence of inhibitors

In this laboratory, the following microbiological analyses are effected:
table analysis
* MET-_: internal method