Properties and antimicrobial activity of the smear surface cheese coryneform bacterium Brevibacterium linens

Surface microorganisms contribute to the ripening of some low-moisture cheese varieties and the composition of the surface microflora is dynamic. Brevibacterium linens is an important surface microorganism that is present in the smear of surface-ripened cheeses and is commonly regarded as the organism primarily responsible for the characteristic taste, aroma, and color of surface cheese. The enzymology and biochemical characteristics of B. linens influence the ripening and final characteristics of smear surface-ripened cheeses. Proteolytic, peptidolytic, esterolytic, and lipolytic activities are of particular importance in the ripening process. Because of its putative importance to the ripening in smear-ripened cheeses, B. linens is the best studied component of the microflora, although in comparision with other dairy-related microorganisms, it is poorly characterized. B. linens produces antimicrobial substances that inhibit the growth of many food poisoning bacteria as well as several yeast and moulds. Some inhibitory substances produced by this species were identified as bacteriocins. Bacteriocins could appear as potential agents to be applied in food conservation systems in order to provide microbiologically stable foods. This article describes the properties of B. linens and discusses about the potential of this species to produce bacteriocins and other antimicrobial substances, which are important for production of high quality cheese.