Changes in the microbial composition of whey samples and the overall microbiota in a traditional Bryndza cheese-producing facility over several years.

Bryndza, a traditional Slovak cheese, is made from unpasteurized ewes milk. Microorganisms in raw milk drive primary ripening, while those from the production environment aid secondary ripening. Beyond influencing cheese quality, microorganisms in the production environment are crucial for food safety. If pathogenic, toxin-producing, or otherwise harmful microorganisms colonize the facility, they could cause technological issues or lead to recurrent contamination of the final product - risks that must be prevented. To assess year-to-year changes in the microbiota of the indoor production environment, samples were collected from a small bryndza-producing facility over three consecutive years and analyzed using culture-based methods. The selected producer adhered to high hygiene standards. Additional insights into microbiota composition were obtained from whey samples to provide a broader view of the microbial community.