Evaluation of antifungal activity of lactic acid bacteria against fungi in simulated cheese matrix

This study aimed to investigate the antagonist activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from Brazilian artisanal cheese and dairy environments against filamentous fungi commonly found in dairy products. In the in vitro test, a total of fifty-two LAB isolates were screened for their inhibitory effects against Aspergillus niger IOC 207 and Penicillium chrysogenum IOC 132. Among them, five strains (Weissella confusa W5, W8; Weissella paramesenteroides W9; Weissella cibaria W25; Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Q4C3) were selected for further in situ evaluation using a cheese matrix. The selected LAB strains exhibited excellent antifungal effect in simulated cheese matrix against both fungi targets; however, when combined with a commercial starter culture, their antifungal activity was reduced. Nevertheless, the results of this study suggest that these LAB strains may have potential as bioprotective cultures in food applications; they have the ability to produce antifungal compounds that could be characterized and potentially used as adjunct cultures in future food processing. Further research in this direction could shed light on their metabolic capabilities and pave the way for their potential use as biopreservatives in the food industry.