Nucleic acid-based approaches to investigate microbial-related cheese quality defects

The scientific, medical, and diagnostic communities have been presented the most powerful tool for quantitative nucleic acids analysis: real-time PCR [Bustin, S.A., 2004. A-Z of Quantitative PCR. IUL Press, San Diego, CA]. This new technique is a refinement of the original Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) developed by Kary Mullis and coworkers in the mid 80:ies [Saiki, R.K., et al., 1985. Enzymatic amplification of beta-globin genomic sequences and restriction site analysis for diagnosis of sickle cell anemia, Science 230, 1350], for which Kary Mullis was awarded the 1993 year's Nobel prize in Chemistry. By PCR essentially any nucleic acid sequence present in a complex sample can be amplified in a cyclic process to generate a large number of identical copies that can readily be analyzed. This made it possible, for example, to manipulate DNA for cloning purposes, genetic engineering, and sequencing. But as an analytical technique the original PCR method had some serious limitations. By first amplifying the DNA sequence and then analyzing the product, quantification was exceedingly difficult since the PCR gave rise to essentially the same amount of product independently of the initial amount of DNA template molecules that were present. This limitation was resolved in 1992 by the development of real-time PCR by Higuchi et al. [Higuchi, R., Dollinger, G., Walsh, P.S., Griffith, R., 1992. Simultaneous amplification and detection of specific DNA-sequences. Bio-Technology 10(4), 413-417]. In real-time PCR the amount of product formed is monitored during the course of the reaction by monitoring the fluorescence of dyes or probes introduced into the reaction that is proportional to the amount of product formed, and the number of amplification cycles required to obtain a particular amount of DNA molecules is registered. Assuming a certain amplification efficiency, which typically is close to a doubling of the number of molecules per amplification cycle, it is possible to calculate the number of DNA molecules of the amplified sequence that were initially present in the sample. With the highly efficient detection chemistries, sensitive instrumentation, and optimized assays that are available today the number of DNA molecules of a particular sequence in a complex sample can be determined with unprecedented accuracy and sensitivity sufficient to detect a single molecule. Typical uses of real-time PCR include pathogen detection, gene expression analysis, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, analysis of chromosome aberrations, and most recently also protein detection by real-time immuno PCR.

Biogenic amines are important nitrogen compounds of biological importance in vegetable, microbial and animal cells. They can be detected in both raw and processed foods. In food microbiology they have sometimes been related to spoilage and fermentation processes. Some toxicological characteristics and outbreaks of food poisoning are associated with histamine and tyramine. Secondary amines may undergo nitrosation and form nitrosamines. A better knowledge of the factors controlling their formation is necessary in order to improve the quality and safety of food.

An improved screening plate method for the detection of amino acid decarboxylase-positive microorganisms (especially lactic acid bacteria) was developed. The suitability and detection level of the designed medium were quantitatively evaluated by confirmation of amine-forming capacity using an HPLC procedure. The potential to produce the biogenic amines (BA) tyramine, histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine, was investigated in a wide number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of different origin, including starter cultures, protective cultures, type strains and strains isolated from different food products. Also, several strains of Enterobacteriaceae were examined. Modifications to previously described methods included lowering glucose and sodium chloride concentrations, and increasing the buffer effect with calcium carbonate and potassium phosphate. In addition, pyridoxal-5-phosphate was included as a codecarboxylase factor for its enhancing effect on the amino acid decarboxylase activity. The screening plate method showed a good correlation with the chemical analysis and due to its simplicity it is presented as a suitable and sensitive method to investigate the capacity of biogenic amine production by LAB. Tyramine was the main amine formed by the LAB strains investigated. Enterococci, carnobacteria and some strains of lactobacilli, particularly of Lb. curvatus. Lb. brevis and Lb. buchneri, were the most intensive tyramine formers. Several strains of lactobacilli, Leuconostoc spp., Weissella spp. and pediococci did not show any potential to produce amines. Enterobacteriaceae were associated with cadaverine and putrescine formation. No significant histamine production could be detected for any of the strains tested.